Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-19
NEW MARKS LIKELY
IN HOLIDAY SALES.
Trade Review Shows Let-Up
in Some Lines-Food Prices
Fairly Steady.
BY j. G. RCYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star
NEW YORK. December 1e.-lndus-
trial employment has begun to ease up
in some lines owing to taking OF In
ventories and preparations for holiday
closing. But retail trade increased its
pace noticeably. Merchants III n score
of business centers were confident that
when final figures were checked on TO-
days business the weeks sales would
be found to exceed those of any week
In their experience. 1t is probable that
the retail buying today In this country
as a whole was larger than any single
days trade in any one country In the
history of the world.
The steel mills are an exception 10
the slowing down process. The plants
in the Pittsburgh district continue at
approximately 90 per cent OF capacity
Carnegie Steel has added another fur-
mace to the active list, and has 80 blow
ing out of So. Jones & Laughlin are
working IL out of IL furnaces. The
sheet market has improved. and the
leading interest is booked through
February. Standard Oil of New Jersey
has ordered ATS 900 boxes OF tin plate
and part of this will go to Pittsburgh.
Note of Caution Sounded.
In Detroit industrial employment,
especially among the automobile
plants. fell off 2,779 to a total or 253.
S79. Truck and bus manufacturers
are fully engaged and are expanding
plants in some instances.
A note of caution against over
playing building construction was
injected into the situation by dozen
authorities this week. Work already
contracted for, however, Will keep the
building industry active for months.
November permits in 40. cities
showed a gain of 80 per cent. as COM
pared with November, 1924. Steel,
lumber and some other building mate
rails are firm in consequence. over
ShadoWing the drop recorded IN
cement in some sections.
Untitled orders for lumber gained
appreciably from last week. New bust
ness was per cent above actual pro-
duction.
In the wholesale food markets in
terest centered around fancy fruits.
nuts and similar goods for the hon-
day consumption. Walnut prices are
slightly lower than year ago and
are being featured by chain stores,
Oranges. available in large guam :
titles. have dropped % to Sd cents
a box. but the embargo on Florida
express shipments may reverse this
trend.
All canned fruits are scarce and
prices are high. Retail prices are
steady and promise few marked
fluctuations. Turkeys are high ~
many centerS.
Copper Sales Light
Copper sales have been light. but
prices have not been cut in conse-
quence a slight rise took place Fri
day. Tin and silver have Slunped in
price. in sympathy with London, and
lead buying at present figures is
slack Zinc demand has improved for
forward delivery.
The coal situation has not mate
rally changed. despite the multi
plicity of plans for settlement of the
anthracite strike and gestures Of de-
fiance from both parties to the con-
troversy. Bituminous production con-
tinues heavy-heavter than consump-
ton warrants in some sections. Prices
are strong for domestic sizes. OIL
showed improvement, with slight ad-
vances in refined products recorded
in scattered localities.
Rubber Remains Low.
Wool steadied during the week. the
firmness of foreign markets counter
balancing hesitation in buying by local
mills Cotton mills and silk mills will
ease off materially for inventory TAX
ing, and cotton cloths and raw silk
reflected this, buying being slack.
Rubber remained below figures of a
month ago. This was due to lack Of
buying by tire manufacturers, now in
the slack season of the year.
Changes in the grain and livestock
markets did not suffice to alter the
favorable position of farming popula-
ton. Coffee and tea felt the lethargy
in primary markets induced by the
approach of the holidays. The dis
pute between the sugar mill owners
and their tenant farmers in Cuba
caused a slight firming in raw sugar.