Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-13
INDUSTRIAL TONE.
OF NATION IS GOOD
Improvement Not Yet Notice.
able in Retail Sales.
Some Gains Reported.
BY J. c. ROYI.E.

Special Dispatch TO The star.
NEW YORK. February 12.--Stead,
Improvement both in activity ant
sentiment is noticeable Throughout
the industrial circles of the country
today, but has not yet made its ap
pearance in most lines of retail mer
chandising. Retail sales are still Al
high level and profit margins are
being we'll maintained. hut the bis
mail order houses have not kept their
volume up to the level of n year age
and slight sax has come into de
partment store distribution. although
some establishments report gains. .
The chain stores have done better
than in the early months of 1875
They gained Is per cent in that year
as compared with 1925. hut the rate
OF progress so far in 1927 has been
slower. There are now nearly 10000
chain systems in this country. but
the independent merchant recently
has been paying full attention to the
personal service, which enables him
to overcome some Of the adva ntages
In buying which the chains enjoy.
Speeding Auto Output.
The automobile companies are speed
ing up production and the allied in
dustrals naturally are feeling the
that General Motors has raised Its
dividend rate from 81 to an IS basis.
Indicative OF the general trend OF de-
mand toward the lighter models is the
statement that retail sales by General
Motors dealers in January exceeded
those of year ago by over $4,000
units. and that this gain was almost
entirely due to sales of Chevrolet and
Pontiac cars.
mr. e 4, kt,.x,
Is gaining steadily, with the mills of
the United States Steel Corporation
working at higher rate than those of
Independents in most producing cen.
ters, despite the loss of tonnage in un.
filled orders reported Thursday. This
indicates how unreliable a barometer
these untitled orders have become.
The live stock of the country has
wintered extremely well. and while the
pig crop has been larger than a year
ago. ravages Of hog cholera have cut
down the supply on farms SO that the
number which will be marketed will
not show big gains. This would tend
to support prices, and Government Of
ficials SAY they expect levels to be
maintained at least until next No
vember.
Marketings to Be Lighter.
lie hummer ol cattle HldTheleu pTUD-
ably win be less than in 1925. In
that year marketings were heavy and
animals on farms and ranges are
fewer than for years. Demand for
beef is expected to continue and
prices seem destined TO go higher
The shipment of hogs has reversed
itself in some sections. Fat hogs are
now going from Illinois to Kansas
City instead of the other way, but
this is due to the demand for serum
manufacturing purposes
Bids for Spring wool clips on the
ranges have been somewhat lower,
ranging around % to 80 cents a pound,
with prospects for a heavy produce
ton.
Actual building construction con-
tracts let this week were larger than
q year ago, but prices OF building ma
terials are soft Brick is steady, but
lumber production and sales are low
er than a year ago.
Soft coal producers are piling UP
stocks preparatory to a strike N
April, which they deem inevitable. Oh
production is large, but demand 10
extremely active, so much so that
gasoline advances have been a. fea-
ture Of the situation this week. Sup
ply and demand are we'll balanced.