Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-22
Washington Ticker
BY CHARLES P. sHAEFFER,
Associated Press Financial Writer.

Despite the growth of chain-store
merchandising establishments, single
store Independents Still rule supreme.
This fact is disclosed by the Depart
ment of Commerce in study just COM
pleted that complies the percentage OF
sales made In all trades through single
store independents, local chains or
multi-units, and sectional and national
i chains 1t covers ABS cities OF 10000 or
more population.
A striking relationship between the
size of the city and the percentage OF
goods sold Is revealed Single store in
so per cent of total sales, the aggregate
of which exceeds $4,000, 100000. The
range is from II per cent for cities OF
10000 to 10000 population, to SO per
cent for the two cities Of over 100000
population.
There is only slight variation from
this principle of the larger the city the
larger the proportion sold by multi
units when the group averages are con-
sidered, either among local multi-units
or sectional or national chains. Chains
of local stores, classified as local multi
units, followed single store independents
in importance with nearly 20 per cent
of total sales, or nearly one-third as
much as single stores. This figure varies
from 10 per cent in cities of 10000 to
80, 1000 the smallest size Of cities re-
ported separately, to % per cent aver
age for the two cities of more than a
million population.
Sectional and national chains account
for about II per cent of total sales, with
only Is per cent of the business in the
smallest classification of cities done by
this group and 10 per cent in the largest
Ill -kt @A.tf1 - 81
count for about l per cent of the Total.
The Bureau of Mines reports the
domestic output of new magnesium in
got decreased from l 1923 ,669 pounds in
1929 to / ,173,557 pounds last year.
Though failing to equal the high rec
ord in the production and sales in 1929,
the industry registered and increase as
compared with 1928 and previous years,
the bureau says. The output of new in
got was more than double the 1928 OUT
put, and only IL per cent less than IN
1929. Magnesium ingot sold or used in
1880 totaled 559,63l pounds valued at
$268,8 and although scarcely two
thirds of the 1899 volume, compares
favorably with the $50 1872 pounds val
ued at $2S9, 658 for 1928.
During the last three years the domes-
tic output of primary magnesium has
Deen obtained 1TOm magnesium CIIOTlOe
recovered as one of the co-products Of
the extensive industry based on the
brine wells of Midland, Mich.
Two substantial price reductions in
ingot magnesium were made in 1880.
In January the price was 80 cents a
pound for lots of 5000 pounds or over
and 81 a pound for 100-pound lots;
from February through November prices
were IS to 80 cents, and in December
the price for ordinary quantities, 100
pound lots or over, was cut to 48 cents,
with additional discounts on larger
orders.
/ The British rubber market remains
under the influence of contradictory re-
ports regarding progress Of restriction
discussions.
Official trade advices to the Com
merce Department state spot prices
dropped below cents a pound during
the early part of April to establish a
low record for all time. The imme-
date cause of the drop was the re-
port that a group of important Dutch
rubber interests had advised the Dutch
Rubber Committee they objected to
any Government interference in the
industry, and would not cooperate in
the proposed restriction.
This group always has been opposed
to restriction and apparently believes
in policy Of the survival of the fittest.