Evening star., 1933-04-09
Gain in Purchasing Causes
Upturn in CarIoadings
and Power Output.
EASTER RETAIL SALES
HAVE BEEN GRATIFYING
Improved Business in Stores Is Re.
fected in Better Orders for Ma
tons Wholesalers.
BY JOHN A. CRONE.

special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, April 8.-Spring buying
broadened in many lines this week,
which accounted for the record number
of buyers here for any similar period
thus far this year. Bank clearings,
however, continued downward, and
there was slight rise in commercial
failures over the preceding week.
The expansion of purchasing is being
registered in many statistics. such as
carloadings, electric production, steel
operations and rising commodity quota
tions. Suspense occasioned by the de-
lay of the farm relief bill naturally
caused some trade circles to hesitate,
but this was Offset by the way Presi-
dent Roosevelt's invitation to Premier
Ramsay Macdonald heartened import
ing and exporting trades.
Retail Sales Gain.
The rise in retail sales Of Easter
goods, which in some cities doubled the
amount Of advertising lineage over the
corresponding period year ago, and
the improvement in Spring wares were
aided by few sunshiny days and were
reflected in wholesale and manufactur-
ing quarters.
Wholesalers in many seasonal lines
reported business this week the best
thus far this year. The express COM
panies verified the fact that there was
much pressure from retailers for i'm
mediate deliveries.
"A seasons business is being con-
densed into demand for goods which
should have been under order or in
stocks weeks ago." Dun g. Bradstreet,
Inc, said today in their weekly survey
of the Nations business Indications
now point to steady buying throughout
the month. Many evidences come to
ventories are being carried in stores"
The big gain in buyers registrations
here this week was just one sign Of i'm
mediate demand. Orders by mail and
wire were equally insistent on deliveries
at once. Despite this rush, merchants
generally show no disposition to carry
complete assortments OF many lines or
to change their general policies Of
carrying low stocks
Volume Of wholesale business In
many cases exceeds that of year ago.
but this is due in part to the lateness
of Easter and bettered demand rather
than any tendency to stock up, even on
the part Of those who assert that re-
tail prices are showing q rising trend.
Wholesale Orders Improve.
Some Of the dress wholesalers" the
Dun g. Bradstreet review continues.
have had difficulty in keeping ahead
of the belated volume of orders re-
leased by improved banking conditions
in Middle West distributive centers.
In the women's wear divisions, ac-
tivity in dress departments has been
gaining rapidly, with orders for jacket
styles, often in swagger lengths, par
ticularly large. Junior frocks have
moved well, and the vogue for the
two-piece dress has stimulated the sale
Of silk skirts and jumpers Two and
three-piece swagger costumes lead the
sales in suits, as these really serve the
dual purpose of suit and coat. Neck
wear, handbags, scarfs. gloves and
blouses are receiving much more at
tenticn this Spring than they did last
year"
From hardware wholesalers comes
the word that garden tools, wire screen
ings and electric fans are meeting an
upturn. Small tools are wanted IN gar
den accessories. Wholesale furniture
buyers reached record proportions here
this week. Many of their purchases
were for immediate use, so wicker fur
niture and Summer rugs moved rather
slowly.
Reopening of banks in various sec
tions is stimulating manufacturing ac-
tivity. Production of plate and window
glass is at slightly higher rate. Beer
bottles are being made at the highest
rate of operation in IA years. Glass
ware for bars is moving briskly. Lum-
Der orders, with the exception Of two
weeks last September are flowing in
at the fastest rate in two years. Flour
sales are running at so per cent above
mill capacity. Hard and soft coal are
moving slowly, which is true also Of
copper, but there is some pickup in
steel. Shoe factories are busy. Mod
crate orders are being booked by cot
ton mills. Woolen mills are increasing
their rate of production.
Copyright. 1889