Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-16
TRADE IS SPEEDED
BY HARVEST TIME
Money Going to Farmers and
TriCkling Back Into Va
riouS Industries.

NEW YORK, july 1b.-Ihe heaft-
beats which force funds through the
veins and arteries of commerce in this
country are beginning to quicken.
This is due largely to the progress of
the harvests and the movement of
crops. Hundreds of thousands OF men
are employed on the farms at wages
in some cases slightly higher than in
1926. The railroad and ship lines are
increasing their loadings. Money is
flowing in some volume into farmers
pockets and trickling out again into
the channels of commerce and indus
try.
The steel industry has shown re.
markable SteadinesS. Tin plate ana
tube mills have failed to feel the u.s.
ual depression and other lines have
been booked in satisfactory volume
for the quarter. The decline in rolling
mill activity to SIS per cent Of capacity
is not expected to last long. Iron ore
shipments this year TO Cleveland ana
other Lake Erie ports have lncre3 Sed
around eight and three quarters mil
lion tons, as compared with this time
last year.
Coal shipments up the lakes have
been heavy, and the demand is grow
ing in other sections. But the flood of
crude oil and the consequent lowering
of fuel oil prices has given the coal
trade a new obstacle. Some improve
ment in oil prices has made it's APP.
pearance in scattered sections for spe'
cial grades.
Building Increases.
The statisticians who depend upon
the volume Of building permits are es-
timating that building construction
has fallen off. Those who depend on
the volume of actual contracts let on
large construction projects declare
that the activity has Increased in the
last week, that it is greater than
wear ago and that the volume so far
this year exceeds that for the cor
responding period of 1925. Some
minor labor disturbances have made
their appearance in the building
| trades.
More of the automobile companies
are stepping up production since their
new models are out, and they are
rushing to fill orders, but the indus
try is still spotty. Some concerns are
| doing very well, and some badly. The
electrical equipment manufacturers
| are having a big year, but so far it
has not been quite so favorable as
| 1926. The demand for central station
1
some household equipment units are
| doing finely. The competition in the
electrical refrigeration field is rapidly
reaching a point where some judges
| anticipate reorganization or receiver
ship for certain concerns.
| The non-ferrous metals have been
doing slightly better. Copper con-
sumers have been filling August and
| September requirements. GalvaniZers
have bought zinc actively. Lead was
| steady The textile trades are as
| spotty as the automobile industry.
| Fine goods producers of New Bedford
| are sold ahead through the Summer
months and stocks in the hands of
manufacturers are low. Coarse goods
| manufacturers are not doing so well
and all are somewhat uneasy over
| the price Of raw cotton.
Tire Output High.
Production of automobile tires is
nearly 10 per cent. higher than at this
time last year. but prices have not
been high enough to provide wide
margin of profit. Mechanical rubber
goods have been in fine demand.
Leather and hide prices are up and
the shoe producers, feeling that the
retailers have small stocks, anticipate
a fine business this Fall. Stocks of
hides are small and the volume of
cattle coming to market is not SO
large as last year.
Prices for beef cattle, however, have
reached some new high marks in va.
! rious markets in the last week. This
I has been counterbalanced by the low.
err prices for hogs which now prevail.
Sugar is in slightly better position,
owing to fairly liberal demand and
lack OF moisture in Cuba. There is
an easier tendency in paper, owing to
the increase in capacity of beth
Canadian and Austrian plants and the
seasonal dullness. Cigarette sales
have been at least 10 per cent higher
than for the first six months of last
year.