The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-07-23
MINNESOTA CROPS
AND BUSINESS GOOD
SHIPPERS ARE told
Banks Report Less Building but
Vastly Increased Volume
Of Tractor Sales

Good crop prospects and improve
ment In financial conditions was re-
ported from Minnesota. today. at the
midsummer meeting of the Northwest
Shippers Advisory board here by w.
H. Perry. Of Minneapolis, vice chair
man for Minnesota.
After reviewing the federal : state
crop report for the state issued last
week, Mr.. Perry presented q number
of reports OF bankers from various
sections Of the state, reading In part
as follows:
The American State bank, Fergus
misunderstanding and machinery
for the period of January II to July
l has been fair in this territory. The
automobile and building industry Is
very good and the automobile prob
ably exceeding last year for the same
period. Bank deposits are down
somewhat. Generally speaking, our
territory has been very dry. the terri
tory south of town not having any
rain from the middle of May until
July Z. How this is going to affect
the small grain Is hard to say at
present. Corn is very good and al
falfa generally Is good although wild
hay is short. It Is going to take an
other two weeks before we can say
how things are going to turn out.
Big Sale Of Farm Machinery
The First National Bank, Albert
Lea-Conditions in this section have
been somewhat slow during the past
two or three months, but I IN under
the impression that the merchandise
sales will average about the same as
last year. There has been q fairly
good sale Of farm machinery. per-
haps. on the average. equal to that Of
last year. There has been quite a
decided falling : off in the sale Of
building materials and In this vicinity
there seems to be very little new con-
struction. Perhaps building material
sales are off from 10 to 20 per cent
from that of q year ago.
Automobile sales from January !
to July l, we believe. are off q trifle
as compared with a year ago and the
dealers report that it Is harder ia
make sales than formerly. Bank de-
posts for the county, taking the de-
posts of all banks, would be up about
2 or 3 per cent, as compared with
those of a year ago. There Is q very
strong call for funds and many banks
are low in reserves. General prosper
ity seems to be poorer than that Of q
year ago. Work is scarce for COM
mon labor and there is more or less
general complaint about not being
able to get work.
Crops Are Good
"Our crops are good, and corn we
would estimate to be from q week ia
ten days ahead Of that Of a year ago.
Small grain crops On the whole are
looking good. There seems to be q
good supply Of hay and weather has
been ideal for gathering our tame
hay crops.
collections seem to be slow and
our merchants are inclined because
Of conditions to be considerably close
in granting credits. On the whole
my impression Is that conditions are
maybe 2 to 3 per cent worse than .
year ago with q better prospect by
from S to 10 per cent for crops"
THE First National Bank, Man
kato-Inquiry among our merchants
brings forth the information that
business here is q trifle better than .
year ago, which Is to be expected. in
view of the fact that the 1928 crop
was much better than that Of 1927.
I'm the machinery line business is
reported very much better than q
year ago with q very considerable
volume Of tractor business. The
same is true in the automobile line.
one of the dealers reporting his bust
ness double that Of . year ago, and
the Ford agency reporting five times
the cars sold the first six months Of
1929 as compared with 1928: but this
Is not to be wondered at In view Of
the difficulty in getting cars . year
ago. Automobile supply people re-
port very satisfactory increase over
1928.
Building Done Last Year
Local building supply people re-
port considerable decrease. owing to
the fact that last years business
included some large school projects.
Bank deposits show approximately .
10 per cent increase on June 80. 1870,
over the corresponding date Of 1928.
Crop prospects are just about perfect
in this immediate territory. in fact
all through southern Minnesota. The
rye and winter wheat harvest Will be-
gin within q week.
I'm addition to the above I want to
report that I have just returned from
. trip to the southern half Of the