Evening star., 1925-10-03
TRADE NOW NEAR
AUTUMN'S PEAK
Wholesale Orders Grow, But
Retail Sales Need Cool
Weather Boost.
BY J. &. ROYLE.
pecial Dispatch to The star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
NEW YORK, October 3-The
throttle OF business has been opened
another notch in the last week. and
trade Is rapidly reaching Autumn
peak activity. The volume of whole
sale orders and shipments released
since October l has been most graf
flying, but the movement of retail
trade has lacked the surge which ap-
parently only snappy Fall weather
can assure. There remain one or two
dark spo's on the horizon which are
becoming blacker instead of tighten
ing. Most lines are operating at nor
NAL or better.
Auto Records Smashed.
For the fifth consecutive week all
previous records for industrial EN-
ployment In Detroit. a barometer of
the automobile industry, were bro
ken. The total employed there reach
ed 257.S94, a gain of 1850 since Jan
uary !. The Buick factories have
never been so active as at present.
The Chevrolet business is increasing.
Oldsmobie, the Motor Wheel Corpo-
ration and the Fisher Body Co. are
speeding up their schedules. and Tim
ken Detroit Axle and Kelsey Wheel
plants are active.
The definite Improvement in the
steel business Is rejecting these con-
ditions to some extent. Higher steel
prices are anticipated by r. j. kulas.
president of the Otis Steel Co., and
James a. Campbell of the Youngs-
town Sheet and Tube Co. "Septem-
ber showed n sizeable increase over
July and August" Mr.. Campbell said.
And | expect the volume of steel
business to increase. Iron prices
have advanced and the cost of coal,
coke and other raw materials have
increased Ultimately this will be re
f1ected in higher prices for finished
steel"
Otis steel is running at capacity
and Trumbull Steel Is operating at the
rate of 10000 tons of finished steel
q month.
Strike Now Being Fell.
The effects Of the anthracite strike
are beginning to bear down on both
operators and miners. The cost of
keeping the mines in condition is a
heavy burden, and mine workers re-
flected the effects of shutting of wages
by dsciplining members who accept
employment at wages less than
those approved by their organiza.
ton. Bituminous production con-
tinues heavy.
In some isolated sections the Fall
pearance. but in most communities
construction continues unabated. and
will be aided by settlement of the
bricklayers and plasterers' dispute.
Contractors in Florida are rushing
their Jobs to completion before Janu-
airy l. paying bonus for overtime.
Lumber Demand Falls or.
Lumber demand, production and
shipments fell off from last week. but
new business was larger than at this
time last year. Export inquiry for
copper has let down and prices for
the metal weakened slightly. Lead
and zinc We're steady, with production
not high enough 10 depress quota
tionS Operations have been reduced
3 to 10 per cent in some of the rub
ber plants. owing to a cut in replac-
ment demand, but crude rubber re-
manned strong owing to smallness of
stocks.
Depression Of cotton prices checked
retail buying in the South. but aided
textile manufacturers, especially New
England. Rains which filled the
streams and relieved the hydro-elec-
trio power shortage helped the South
ern goods producers. Worsted mills
of the American Woolen Company
now are working up to about 80 per
cent of capacity operation. Demand
for gas and electricity was about 15
per cent above that for the cores
ponding time of 1924.
Sugar Prices Still Lower.
Electric equipment sales are in.
creasing and some additional plants
will be converted Immediately to the
manufacture of electric locomotives.
Tanners are expanding operation un
der the stimulus of firm hide and
leather prices due to activity in the
shoe trade. Live stock prices are firm
and growers and packers probably will
enjoy the best year since 1920.
Petroleum production continues to
hold around 100000 barrels weekly,
and while demand is strong prices
for the country as a whole still are
| not equalized. Raw silk Is high and
| manufactured goods are beginning to
advance.
The oversupply of sugar was re-
fiected in the low price levels Of the
raw sugar market and a reduction in
| refined quotations. Car loadings were
heavy.