Evening star., 1933-10-24
DRY GOODS MARKET
.BROADEST IN YEARS
Sales Often 70 and 100 Per
Cent Ahead of Business in
Like Months Last Year.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


NEW YORK, October 24-For the
first nine months Of the current year
total dry goods sales Of wholesalers ex-
ceeded the comparative figures Of 1882
by at least so per cent. During the frst
two months of the year sales were below
normal, Dun & Bradstreet report, but
during some of the months which fol-
lowed sales frequently ran as high as
10 to 100 per cent above those for the
corresponding months year ago. There
were many delays in filling orders dur
ing this period. caused by the sold-up
condition in some Of the staple lines.
From May until the middle OF August
sales Of leading wholesalers reached the
highest volume in two years. Early de-
mand was for piece goods and staples,
with the heavier dannels and knit goods
predominating now. Stocks are In good
shape to take care OF fill-ins.
July was the outstanding month Of
the year for retailers, both in volume
and profits. August and September did
not continue the high record established
for July, but since the first OF the cur
rent month demand in many divisions
has been stronger. Distribution has
been chiefly in staples. such as prints,
muslins, sheetings, fannels. hosiery, un-
derwear and blankets. While staples
marked at medium prices have been
selling better than fancy goods, there
has been a noticeable increase In the
demand for the better qualities Of mer-
chandise during the last 80 days.
Higher Prices General.
Prices in nearly all divisions have in
creased steadily since April, and at
present are from 25 to 100 per cent
higher than at the beginning OF the
current year. The most striking ad-
vances have been in unfinished goods,
where quotations on many Of the most
staple number are more than double the
prices quoted in February. Mark-ups
| in the cotton goods division have been
sharp. notably in print clothes, sheet
| ingS, broadcloths, printed percales, dem
inns, ticking, towels, sheets and pillow
cases Blankets are selling at retail for
about rs per cent more than they
brought a year ago, while quotations
on raw wool are 92.2 per cent higher
| than in the comparative period OF 1882.
Although the trend of prices still Is
upward on the whole, there have been
/ some receSsions of late in several cotton
! goods lines. chiefly percales, printed
draperies, cretonnes and some Of the
wash goods. On the other hand, sheets
and pillowcases have held steady, with
! large movement still under way.
Prices of some Of the staple towels are
lower, but the new weaves are higher.
CandlewiCk bedspreads have been
marked down. to some extent, but most
high-grade woven lines are holding
/ firm.
Failures Reduced One Half.
The wider distribution and higher
prices for all grades Of dry goods have
| checked the steady increase in failures
since 1929. which reached an all-time
peak in 1882. with the number Of de-
faults totaling 3l83 and the involved
liabilities s73,s3l,987. In 1892, manu-
facturers were going into bankruptcy
at the rate of month, while the
monthly average the current year Is
only s. The monthly failure average
Of 257 for retailers In 1892 has been
reduced to l52 during the nine months
! OF 1888.