Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-02
1926 TRADE OPENS
WITH 1925 SPEED
Monday Win Find Pace Well
Maintained-LuII Is Noted
at Week End.
BY j. c. ROYLE.
j Dispatch to The star.

SPECIAL Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. January 1.-The year
1926 took its first business steps today,
but they were hating steps. Few
lines really got down to full activity.
The industrial plants felt the effects
of the wind-up of the holiday season.
The check 10 bu siness in the mills and
factories, however, was not so marked
as usual Taking Of inventories still
IS not entirely completed in some lines,
but Monday will see a general re-
sumption of activity at a pace equal
to or above that which was maintained
in the record breaking year 1925. Re-
tail trade. with the aid OF white sales,
did fairly well.
LuIl in Auto Production.
The steel mills in general are heGv-
lily booked for the first quarter and
consumption is keeping so close be
hind production that no check 10 ac-
tivity IS anticipated. The automobile
industry has slowed down somewhat.
but apparently only from seasonal
causes and the pause due 70 approach
OF the New York auto show. where a
number of surprises in design are
promised Industrial activity in De-
troit fell of to total OF 10. lo4.
The trend toward consultations Of
oil companies has beea noticeable"
feature during the week. oil men
regard this trend as pointing TO en-
irenlely active development Of proved
and wild cat fields both in ~"
nircd States and South Amcrtc"
This does not necessarily mcHu
'arEeiy increase production, but Coo
nomical handling.
OF prices were firm except in
louisiana, where local conditions
seem 20 dominate quotations.
Building Going Forward.
With a record year behind It,
building, taking the country as a
whole, showed no signs Of slackening
so far as dwelling house, State and
municipal structures and industrial
construction were concerned. Lum-
Der business was affected by the holt
days, but was ahead OF that OF the
last week OF 1924. In the West new
orders exceeded production by %
per cent. Prices for pine remained
firm. but quotations for some other
building materials showed decline
rs compared with year ago.
Railroad passenger traffic during the
holidays was extremely heavy, and
movement of freight continued at ii
record rate for this time Of year right
UP 10 the turn OF the year. Wool
markets We're quiet but underlying
strength was IN eNldence. tStW SILK
IS very firm. Cotton fabrics attract
ed some attention despite the holiday
slack period. and the same was true OF
woolenS. Jute is very strong.
Metal Market Quiet.
Lead was in demand, and spot lead
commanded premiums in some cases.
The remainder Of the nonfocus metal
markets did little but mark time. The
trouble between sugar mill owners and
their tenant farmers in Cuba has not
been entirely settled. and a number
OF mills have been unable to start
grinding IN consequence. The farm
ers demand they be paid more money
Tor the sugar content OF their cane
Demand for refined here is light.
IN" l"4diO factories are expected TO
SLOW duWn somewhat from recent high
rates al production. Sales of receiv
nag 1, during the holidays were the
EiGursr ever known in the history OF
the ,at,.u. industry, but they are not
believed 10 have eQualed factory pro-
GuCtloa. Consequently, stocks on
hand are Of no mean proportion.
Dcmand for meat products has been
excellent, and the exports of meats
and hard have showed Improvement in
the last week. The low cost OF feed
j. calculated 10 hold back a consider
able number of animals from slaugh.
ter until later in the year.
Shoe manufacturers expect a steady
volume of business in coming weeks
with prices steady since the labor sit
uation and leather quotations are well
stabilized.
Copyright 1920