Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-22
RECORD INDUSTRIAL
GROWTH INDICATED
Production Reports Of First
Quarter Expected to Re-
veal Great Gains.

Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, March 22.-With Winter
behind and the end of the third month
of the year just approaching, there Is
every indication that the first quarter
will see all records broken for industrial
activity
The steel mills have never operated
at brisker pace, even in war time, for
then plants had not attained anything
like their present-day efficiency, and
neither had the men manning them
Activity is now apparent in nearly every
line of steel products, with the possible
exception Of oil, country goods and q
few others.
Construction is doing its share to keep
up the work, as is shown by the heavy
demand for reinforcing bars The auto
mobile trade Is taking huge tonnage OF
sheets and other steel products. The az
ricultural implement manufacturers are
as busy as they can be, with remark
able year apparently ahead of them.
The railroads have bought more this
last month than was anticipated in some
quarters. Fence and wire demand is
likely to be strong In the agricultural
districts all year.
Automobile Output.
The automobile factories are working
at q splendid rate. Naturally, the larg-
est sales are in the lowest price ranges.
Not all manufacturers are profiting
equally. Some are forced to use every
effort to keep sales up so that profit
from volume production should not drop,
but In general the absorption of new
cars Is remarkable. Competition Is tight
ening, however, both In the domestic
and foreign fields.
The large consumption of copper In
the automobile and allied industries I'M
doubleday has something to do with
the extraordinary strength of that
metal: But the demand is strong In all
the other lines which consume copper
likewise Lead Is doing finely also, with
a steady strength which Is most en-
couragtng to producers and refiners.
Zinc production, as SO often has been
the case, has gotten q little out Of
hand. and output Ks creeping ahead of
consumptive demand. This Is expected
to bring some curtailment among the
zinc operators, especially those In the
tri-state lead and zinc field. Tin is
stodgy, despite prospects Of big de-
mand for containers by the canning
trade.
The textile mills not only are selling
fair volume of goods but some prices
have advanced and this has given q
better margin Of profits to many Of the
cotton cloth makers and distributors
Silk Is still handicapped by the excess
capacity Of the mills, but reports here
are that Japan Is stabilizing raw silk
production with American demand, and
this Is calculated to keep prices for the
raw material from excessive fiuctua-
ton.
Clothing Sales.
Sale OF sporting goods and equipment
has seldom been so extensive In any
Spring as 1t Is today.
Clothing sales are reported Of fair
early Spring proportions, but shoe de-
mand has not developed with the spon-
taniety which makers and dealers an
ticipated Coal sales are expected to
take a squirt In few days, when the
cut in prices to induce Summer stocking
goes into effect in the anthracite terri
tory. Oil Is still in the doldrums OF
overproduction. The railroad equip
ment concerns which have complained
of q dearth of orders for many months
are now getting some excellent business
Paint sales are rising, but this Is nor
NAL sign of the approach Of Spring
weather.