Evening star., 1932-02-04
TRADE SHOWS GAIN
IN ST. LOUIS AREA
Boots, ohoeS, Hardware,
Drugs and Other Lines Are
in Better Demand.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
ST. LOUIS, February 4.-The Fed
eral Reserve Bank of st. Louis reports
that since January l noticeable I'M
provement has taken place IN several
of the most important manufacturing
and wholesaling lines among them
boots and shoes. dry goods hard
ware, drugs and chemicals and groc-
cries. While ordering is almost ex-
CluSively confined to goods for I'M
mediate or reasonably prompt delivery
the character of the buying indicates
actual needs for merchandise. Manu-
faCturerS of iron and steel and other
commodities of the heavier and more
permanent sort report an increased VOL
ume of inquiries, and specifications on
goods previously acquired are being re-
leased more freely than in December
REPORTS from the retail trade relative
to results of special sales conducted
since the holidays reflect rather spotted
conditions. Failure to achieve greater
success in many such sales was due
partly to the incomplete aSSortments
and the narrow variety OF goods eX-
hibited. The inventorying period de-
veloped generally small stocks IN the
hands of both retail and wholesale in
terests and manufacturers. In the
immediate past there has been more
evidence of a disposition to repleniSh
and replace stocks than noted IN
number of months.
Comparisons With 1880.
December was marked by a further
recession in the general level OF trade
and industry in the eighth district, tne
closing weeks of that month witness
ing the lowest point reached in the
present depression. With the eXcep-
tion of department stores and some
Specialized branches of the retail dis
tribution affected by the Christmas
holiday trade, all lines Of industry and
merchandising investigated by this
bank showed declines from November
to December, and universally there
were decreases as cOntraSted with the
same period in 1880 and the average
during the past several years. Slm1-
larly the record for 1881 dlscloSeS a
substantial contraction in the volume
of business as compared with the pre-
ceding u months, and the average
during the past decade. The increase
IN volume of retail trade from NoVem-
Der to December was somewhat great
er than usual, due, however, more to
the poor showing made in November
than to an extraordinary demand for
merchandise AS has been the case
throughout the present season, the vol
:
of goods was held down by the unSea-
sonably high temperatures.
Manufacturing Output.
The output of manufacturers showed
more than the usual seasonal Contrac-
tiOn, particularly so in case Of iron and
steel, lumber and the entire category
Of building materials. Distribution OF
automobiles decreased sharply in De-
Cember as compared with November
and for the fourth consecutive month
was smaller than during the CORE
spending period a year earlier. Ihere
was also a decrease in production Of
bituminouS coal, lead and zinc and
other mining products. Following the
advance in prices Of grain and other
farm products Of mid-October, a re-
action downward took place in Noyem-
Der. and extended through December
eliminating a considerable part OF the
advantage gained. The price OF pig
iron declined 81 per ton, iron and
steel scrap, from 81 to SO per ton and
there were downward rev1sionS OF
greater or lesser degree in number of
other important raw and finished ma
terials An increase in unemployment
of somewhat greater than the usual
seasonal proportions took place in De-
cember In all sections of the district
the surplus of farm labor is larger
than at any similar period in recent
years.
Store Sales for Year.
AS reflected in sales of department
stores in the leading cities of the dis
triCt. the volume of retail trade in De-
Cember was 48.3 per cent greater than
in November, but 1876 per cent less
than in December 1880 For the year
sales of these stores showed a decrease
Of 1877 per cent under the 1880 total.
Combined sales of wholesaling and job
bing firms reporting to this bank we're
81 per cent smaller in December than
November and 10 per cent less than
in December, 1890; for 1881 aggregate
sales of these firms fell Is per cent be-
low the total for the preceding II
m-nthS