The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-04-30


 Is seen in the drop in chain store sales, which were per cent smaller than in the same month of 1923 and 4 per cent below the computed trend of the past year. Lateness of the Easter season was blamed partly for the falling off in busi- ness. With the exception of tobacco, the amount of sales per store also declined.
 Reopenipg of trade channels between the United States and Germany made pos- siole by the establishment of unrestricted credlt for the Schacht gold rediscount banks, will be reflected in an increased export demand for copper. according to leaders in the industry. Germanys con struction will result in purchases of cop- per before other commodities are reoulred. Jt is believed =
 New railroad construction work already Oesun m ls24 or to be started within a year Will approximate nearly slo0 OOO ooo' It is estimated by railroad officials. ,,, The electric railway industry in the United States. which has inst ceIebrated its thirty-sixth birthday, now represan,- an invested capital of nearly SC. O00 GOO ooo sno mas, an annual income Of more than
 From preliminary estimate of be- tween $2,Oe0.ooo and 33,p9O. GOO, the Peru wan government has now raised the t,,taI here to about $6,OoO, 900. Arransentents Tor uir financing are said to be a,1a-5nch. :. iH6 CoHpleLlon.
 Although the first group of railroads to report March earnings. showed fairly satisfactory returns later statements from representative carriers confirm soreca Sts that the months operations would he iess favorable than q year ago. Decreases in net income have been reported by inc Pennsylvania, Baltimore and Ohio A,rhi son, Topeka and Santa 1re Sontber- ISaii way and the Big Folr In sn,na in. stances, however, the total for ,he omar yer is sun ahead of that for tho first u The first A Class railroads to report Lneir @ March earnings show both combined SToss ana net above February, bur below March of last year. Total gross oF thess roads was $2s7,956. 900, as compar4d with s-si,4eOO 900 in February and S52s 0s1 oho ea- oan or last year, while net was $40. : eSstpoo Tn March. &41. .4s5, ,00O, the month before and s54,421. 900 in the same month of 1923. '''o" 'h
 American railroads will save an ayers ge of 20 per cent on their coal bills this year, a total saving of about $e0, ,000, ,O0O railroad officials declared todsy in en- nouncing that contracts now being nego- tiated are 50 to 65 cents ton below last years rates. An over supply of bitumi- nous coal Is one of the principal reasons American railroads last year exceeded lOs, 900 tons.
 Wall street statisticians. using the Ford Motor company's balance sheets ss a basis, have figured that net profits on Ford units of the year eading February 29 were 3S7 each, as compared With SIS the year before.
 Directors of the Independent Oil and Gas company today showed their corfi- dence in the immediate future o' the oil industry by declaring regplars- dividends of 95 cents each for the last three uuar- terly periods of the year. me payment having been made previously.
 A prominent commission house with a direct wire to Cuba was credited today with heavily selling Cuban Cane Sugar preferred and basis was soon at hand in indications of a political disturbance, the size of which seemed in doubt The street expressed an inclination to regard serious uprising being oullish on sugar shares and commodity prices.
 The street long has divided opinion as to whether par value meant much if anything, to the owner Of a stock, hence it was interested today in the ef- forts Of voting trustees of the GoIdwyn Pictures corporation to effect merger with