Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-01-31
Bradstreet Survey
Continued from Page One)

fact record, volume OF retail buy
ing crowned the years efforts, ex-
cept where mild weather or the in
flunza outbreak interviewed.
In industry, there was staged a
veritable comeback of many of the
so-called heavy industries, which
in 1927 showed hesitation, if not
actual losses, as a result of the num-
erous natural and artificial draw
backs for which the earlier year was
notable. Prominent in this latter
direction, of course, was the incle-
ment weather, resulting in the dis
astrous floods in the Mississippi and
its tributaries. Even in industry,
however, there were exceptions
enough to rob the exhibit, as a whole
Of its otherwise convincing and quite
widely distributed rally. For in
stance, the volume of railway traf-
fic fell slightly below that of 1927,
and ever more so behind 1926,
whereas net operating income gained
slightly over 1927, while below that
of 1926. Factory employment in
dexes gained slightly over 1927, as
did the pay rolls. The year was
not especially prolific in strikes; that
of the New Bedford cotton mill op-
eratives, 27,000, lasting twenty-five
weeks, against a reduction, failing.
The soft coal miners strike begun
April /, 1927, formally ended in Sep
TENDER, 1923, but the strike had fail
cd long before. Metal producing
and consuming lines, as a whole
showed best progress, while among
the Fighter" lines the one-time lux
ury line Of silk manufacturing show
ed more progress than did cottons
or woolens which, perhaps, reflected
style changes as much as any other
influence. Building of ordinary
house, office and store constructions
sagged, while large construction,
particularly of big hydro-electric
works, subways, tunnels, roads and
other public or semi-public enter
prises expanded.
which restrictions as to shipments
expired. In exports, the increase in
shipments of manufactured goods,
this more particularly of automobiles !,
metals, refined petroleum, agricul-
tural implements and machine tools,
more than offset decreases in grains,
particularly wheat flour and rye, and
meats and other packing house
products.
Locking Forward
Trade and industrial signals, most
of them, set fair as 1929 opened and
with the impetus gained from the
reasonably we'll assured. Beyond that
the average mar will desire a fairly
clear idea of the new years crop
prospects before making definite
plans. Bearing upon the future out
look, it may be said that in domestic
lines the effects of many past and
pending mergers in trade and indus
try still remain to be realized. Then,
too, plans made in 1923 for extern
In ordinary wholesale and retail
trade, the effects Of the continued
revolutionizing of the methods of
distribution were still visible in re-
duced sales in leading lines of whole
sale distribution while sales by de-
| partment stores showed only small
gains over one and two years ago,
whereas chain and mail-order dis
tribution expanded to new high to-
tails. Bearing upon this point, it may
be said that, owing to mail-order
houses opening individual stores or
chains thereof, the distinctions be-
tween these two classifications and
the department stores proper tended
to become more vague than in earlier
| years, and the intense competition
that all these lines exerted upon or
| binary retail business increased.