Evening star., 1925-08-08
|STEEL BRIGHT SPOT
IN THE INDUSTRIES
Prices Remain Low, But
Activities Continue, Due
to Cut in Costs.
BY j. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, August S.-The in
creased blaze Of the steel stacks
furnished the brightest spot in the
industrial situation of the country
this week. New furnaces were lighted,
additional tonnages OF iron ore were
handled and production schedules
were increased. The tin plate end
OF the industry was stimulated by de-
supplies continued active. and struct-
ural steel was in good inquiry.
Prices continue relatively low, but
the determination of companies to cut
costs was fully exampled by the
absorption of 100000 annually In
salaries by the Bethlehem steel Co,
which dispensed with three high exc
cutives.
Equipment Orders OF Record.
Several large equipment orders dur.
ing the week aided sentiment. The
trade undoubtedly was helped also by
the activity in automobile manufac-
ture. In the last week the volume of
Industrial employment in Detroit, the
automobile trade center. rose to 243,-
67l workers, new high for the year,
and representing an increase of 45.337
since January l. II Is the more sur
when usually things are at n slack
point in motor car manufacture. How
ever. reports are coming in from
many sections Of the country indicat-
ing new models and prices offered the
first of this month are bringing out
a tremendous volume Of sales.
The anthracite coal situation showed
little Improvement as the week closed.
Business men of Scanton and Wilkes
"a 60
whether the mines work or not, are
preparing for strike, beginning Sep.
tember 1. which they figure will last
from four to Ave weeks. The soft
answer returned President Lewis of
the Mine Workers by Chairman War
riner of the operators failed to impress
them as affecting the situation. They
say they are accustomed to all sorts
of gestures from both sides.
Oil Strength Slightly Weaker.
Statistical strength of oil and it's
products weakened somewhat during
the week, but alarmists apparently
have failed for a time to remember
the tremendous increase in consump-
ton which has taken place this year
and which is likely to continue. The
main worry seems to be as to Just how
much production Is being held back
in Smackover and some other fields.
The wooden industry has shown i'm
provement, but so far II has been con-
fined to buying for immediate deliv-
cries. and is sentimental rather than
actual. The cotton and cotton cloths
lines have been quiescent owing to
the fact that another of the seemingly
interminable Government crop reports
became due today. Moves for increases
In the wage scales of textile workers
IN Nd
perfume by mill men.
Harvesting is progressing at a
goodly pace. canneries are working
at high speed and rail shipments are
tremendous. These factors all indi-
cate the farmers Fall position will be
an enviable one in view Of present
crop prices. Lumber demand showed
q nice increase, and other building
materials moved briskly. with pro-
ducers wise enough not to shove
prices to a point where they would
tend TO check construction.
Metals Satisfactory.
Strength of an undeniable character
was shown in copper, and the position
Of lead and zinc Is satisfactory to most
producers. In fact. some fancy prices
have been paid for small special lots
Some excellent authorities predict Is
cent copper in the near future. Rub
Der showed a decline in price during
the week. due, according to importers
not to any complaints of manufac
turers or representations by this Gov
ernment. official or otherwise. but to
arrival of heavy stocks and normal
economic adjustment.
Examination of the postal receipts
Of so large cities in the country shows
an advance in the last month OF 1911
per cent, with not a single city falling
below a gain of 2.s9 per cent. Real
estate transactions took on new i'm
petus, and the Florida East Coast is
suffering the greatest traffic and popu
lation congestion in history, with every
agency working feverishly to increase
housing facilities.
There promises to be a shortage oil
Spring pack chinook salmon on the
Pacific Coast, with the greatest de-
mand ever known in evidence