Evening star., 1925-09-19
FALL RETAIL TRADE
SETS FINE STRIDE
Textile Demand Up-Gain in
BuiIding-Auto Plants Still
Very Active.
RY j. G. ROYI.E.
Special Dispatch tn The Star.

CLEVELAND. September l9.-Fau
retail trade already is swinging into
its stride and distributors are display
ing their confidence in the future by
forward orderings. This tendency is
especially noticeable in Middle West
markets. Developments during the
week have empha sized that industrial
operations throughout the United
states are running al a high rate,
which inevitably means high individual
purchasing power. Some merchants
feel that pre- re-holiday distribution will
exceed all previous records
The sales OF the mail order houses
have shown even more improvement
than those Of the other retailers. Sales
of two leading companies are report ed
running at least 30 per cent above the
level of September. l1cl Retail prices
are fairly stable. On ore day this week
Boston clothing Ae"e which adver.
tlsed reduction in prices Of suits and
overcoats was 60 quickly iammed that
the doors had To be closed A. noon 10
serve customers then within the build
Ing. II was late at night before sales
were completed.
Retter Textile Demand.
The New England textile industry
Is rejecting the better demand. The
Pacific mills sold over 500 900 nieces
Of finished goods. or over two weeks'
production. in the last week Vail
River manufacturers. losers last wear.
now are enabled through reduction in
prices OF cotton and curtaiment of
expenses to show a gain.
New Bedford mills have booked
enough orders for fine cotton and
rayon mixtures TO keep them busy for
some months. The forced curtailment
In the Southern plants because Of
drought and lack Of hydro-electric
power has helped the situation Of New
England, and mills which closed down
Labor day for an indefinite time re.
sumo operations sooner than expected
Advertising Improving.
As result OF the increasing mar.
kets the trend Of newspaper advertis-
ing is improving.
Steel mills in the northern Ohio.
Pittsburgh and Chicago districts are
maintaining high volume Of produc-
ton
For the third week in succession De
troit industrial mployment. good
barometer Of the automobile industry.
reached new high-record figures with
2oO.o93 workers on the pay roll The
Ford Co. has orders for $50 900 of the
new-model cars, a large number for
cash. Because of factory changes the
output still is below normal. but Ford
ofhcials expect production of 900 a
day ny October |. Reports from the
south state many thousands Of orders
Tor new Fords are still unified there
Florida Leads in Building.
Elildip~
trerely heavy. latest reports from
more than 800 cities showing a gain
OF over 80 per cent as compared with
the corresponding period of 1924. The
highest proDortionate gain was in
Clearwater. Fla, l ,166 per cent. Lum.
Der orders fell slightly from the pre-.
vlous week, but still are well above
the level OF 1924. with firm prices
Brick. cement, crushed stone and
structural steel showed few changes
in most sections,
Copper sales were of unusually
large volume in the last week: lead
was III fine demand. and zinc and tin
were frm. Oil production was down
slightly from previous high produc-
ton figures. but is still at a high
level.
Coal Market Quiet
ne coal markets showed Few
changes. but industrial consumers are
understood to be placing heavy or |
ders for future delivery in the non
union fields. Raw sugar dropped to
the lowest point since May, 1922. dur
ing The week
The purchasing power Of the agri- |
cultural States may he judged from !!
figures for the Northwest which |
show that Al present prices the /.
wheat. corn. rye. harley and fax |
crops. IL they equal Government es-
Inmates. will yield s72a.212.1c0 to Min. |
nesota and North and South Dakota |
tCopvriEht 1921