Evening star., 1932-09-29
F|RMER COMMODITY
PRICE TONE noted
Rail Car Loadings' Increase
More Than Seasonal, Says
Commerce Department.

A frmer business tone was reported
today in the two most sensitive barom-
eters, wholesale commodity prices and
rail carloadings.
Such is considered in government cir
cles here as confirming recent signs OF
business expansion and financial re-
covery.
The Labor Departments Bureau OF
Statistics said its index for wholesale
commodity prices leveled oil at 65.4 1or
the week ending September "a, follow
ing a decline of one-han OF l per cent
the previous week. This bears out re-
cent statements CT leading economists
regular process
Rise More Than Seasonal.
The Commerce Department received
information from private sources To-Day
that freight movement on number OF
leading carriers for the week ending
September "a indicates that the upward
trend in car loadings is more than sea-
sonal in proportion, and that for the
first time this year total OF more than
100000 freight cars will be loaded on
the Nations carriers this week. Official
car-loading statements are not expected
before Saturday.
The leveling off of the commodity
prices was due to increases in prices OK
farm products, textile products, building
materials and metal and metal productS.
Foods and household furnishings were
unchanged, while declines were noted IN
hides, fuel and lighting, and chemicals
and drugs.
Food averages held on at 621 from
the previous week because OF general
s,, ntott
marking down of potatoes and other
vegetables and sharp lowering of cocoa.
The weakness of meat and vegetables
appeared to be due to warm weather,
which slowed consumers demands.
Lumber Begins Advance.
Rallies in prices of raw cotton and
raw silk in the middle of last week and
continued firmness of wool resulted IN
a report Of general Strengthening OF
the textile price structure. Lumber
prices have commenced to advance, re-
f1ecting improved demand.
The Commerce Department said it
was informed that the official car load
ing figures Saturday will show an In
crease of about 10000 cars above the
$4,000 reported for the week ending
September IT. Comparisons with last
year are particularly impressive, since
loadings failed to show the usual sea-
solal Improvement at this time in 1881.
The department said number of
carriers have already reported that the
upward swing in carloadings has neces-
STATED the reopening of numerous
shops, thus giving employment to thou
sands of workmen laid off last Spring
New York Central would add 1000
shopmen to its force. In the week
ending September "a, the New YORK
Central lines loaded 41,050 revenue
freight cars, against 4s,03s in the like
week last year. This was a decline OF
169 per cent. Loadings in the pre-
ceeding week were 40,743 cars, against
$3.50 in the like 1881 period, a re-
duction of 21.4 per cent. Total load
ings, including those received from
connections during last week, amount
ed to 91.134 cars, against 1o8,472 in the
like week year ago. drop OF l5.9
the total was Se945 against Ill, 800
per cert. During the previous week
in the like 1881 period, a drop Of 1919
per cent.
The Pennsylvania reports total car
loadings for the week ending September
"a of 88,424; of which 54,409 originated
on its lines and 34O15 were received
trcm connections. This compares with
o6,047 in the preceding week and 49,
898 in the corresponding 1881 week.
The decline from year ago was 22.4
per cent, while last weeks figures
showed a decline of 1871 per cent from
year ago.
Loadings in the Southwest continued
to show good sized gains in the last
week Missouri Pacific handled 23,034
freight cars, against 2,517 in the previ-
Gus week, and 25,546 in the same week
last year.
International Great Northern loaded
1888 cars in the week of September
"a. against 3,576 in the previous week,
and 4,6l1 in the like week last year.
The Gulf Coast Lines handled 2,419
cars, against 2,237 in the like week last
year.
St Louis and San Francisco reports
loading Of 1917 cars the week of Sep
tember "a, against 1929 in the previous
week.
The Wabash handled 12,170 cars,
against 11,572 in the previous week
The Missouri-KansasTe handled
S021, against 1906. The st. Louis
Terminal Association reported loadings
of 29,436. against 28,537.