Evening star., 1928-02-10
SALE GAIN
GOOD TRADE INDEX
Gas Consumption Increased
Coal and Iron Status
Little Changed.
BY J. G.. ROYLE.
Dispatch TO Tho Star

NEW YORK, fcDTudTy lU-lHIpiovc-
ment In business and industrial activity
Is being strikingly measured To-Day Dy
the increased loads carried by the public
try. Sale Of electric power now has
risen to a point nearly 10 per cent h1gn-
or than was recorded at this time last
year.
A certain portion Of this gain Is re-
y,iltinp from the electrification OF plants
which used other sources OF power
wear ago. but the main portion comes
from increased activity Of old subscrib-
ers. The cost of producing electric cur
rent Is showing a slight drop owing 10
the favorable position Of the central sta-
ton operators in coal and oil fuei.
The advance in the amount OF natural
and artificial gas consumed mas Deeh
even more striking. New pipe INES nave
found their capacity taxed by the neeos
of industrial and domestic clients. the
weather has been more favorable for the
use of gas this year than last, and the
adoption of gas as fuel for Industrial
heating has caused big advance IN the
amount consumed.
Service Shows Increase.
The telephone service provided In vari-
ous sections is regarded as an accurate
measure Of business activity. This serV-
ice in some sections shows an increase
above 10 per cent. as compared Win
February. 1927.
Building activity is not any more
strongly marked than a week ago, Dut
the unusual strength OF the real estate
markets of the country indicates that
building programs comparing most ia
vorably with 1926 and 1927 Will be put
into offoct this wear
The steel mills continue to show de-
cided improvement. Prices are very
firm for most products and an unusual
demand Is expected to come from the
rural districts for wire, nails and SIM
liar products.
Employment continues to grow in the
automobile factories. but the industry
as a whole is far from being at the
peak Of capacity production, when
many companies hope to reach TINS
year. Sufficient cars. however, are be-
! ing turned out to improve materially
| the position of the automobile acces-
SORES producers; to keep the tire FAC
tories working at high rate OF speed,
and to influence the situation in some
! of the textile lines.
The sharp drop in crude rubber. fol-
| lowing Discrimination in the LOnoon
rubber market, offered encouragement
| 10 the tire manufacturers.
Comparatively little change took place
| liz the non-ferrous metals situation. the
/ danger of overproduction IN silver.
/ lead zinc and copper still hangs heav-
! ily over the situation. There are scat
/ tered indications that tin prices Will ad-
| vance in the not distant future.
Coal and Oil Situation.
| Coal showed no improvement. and the
| situation Of the petroleum producers,
refiners and distributors is little
changed. The arrival of representa-
tive OF the Dutch Shell interests seems
to have been raken. in general. as an
effort to settle the dispute with the
| Standard Oil Co. Of New York as TO
| markets In the Far East. But market
commentators in general seem to nave
overlooked the fact that the Dutch
Shell interests are tremendous pro-
ducers In this country. and that they
have been adversely affected by the SIT
| uation here to an even greater extent
| than some of the local oil concerns.
Improvement Is being shown IN the
! silk industry. although the situation stu
! Is subject to fluctuations owing TO the
| fact that mills can produce at any time
| far more goods than can be sold.
| The shoe companies are reporting
gains IN both sales and profits
| In the textile field. the specialties
| are the things that are making the
money, not the standard goods
| The situation Of the sugar industry
was brought 10 the front by the passing
OF its dividend by the American Sugar
| Refining Co However. IL is declared
| by many sugar experts that the cause
| back OF this move was not so much re-
| striction in Cuba. or invasion or East
ern markets by Western producers. as
| IL was the inherent faults in the mar
keting situation, which the sugar in
stitute has just been organized to OBJ
| viate.