Evening star., 1933-02-12
Weekly Reports From vari.
GUS Trade Centers Show
Steady Plant Schedules.
GROCERY BUSINESS TOPS
TOTALS FOR LAST YEAR
Cold Weather Has Resulted in In.
creased Sales Of Coal and
Wearing Apparel.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, February 11.-While in
dustrial developments during the week
showed only slight increase, the gains
recorded in January are being held sue
cessfully, with increased operating
schedules reported by shoe manu1actur-
ers and textile producers, says Duns
Weekly Review. Steel output failed to
rise above the previous weeks level, as
automobile plants are expanding their
requirements slowly, and railroad pur-
chases still are negligible, in respect to
heavier supplies and rails, while buying
of incidental needs apparently is re-
stricted to the minimum. There has
been a slight but continuous gain in
certain kinds Of steel for speciality pur-
poses Expansion in this division now
seems assured, as one Of the leading
producers of low-priced automobiles has
resumed operations, following the shut
down brought about by labor difficulties
in bodybuilding plants. Textile manu-
creasing output and the employment OF
more workers. Some of the large
wcrsted plants are running full days
and are employing night shifts in a
few departments, with orders in hand
sufficient to permit current operations
to the end of the month, while business
pending may enable their continuance
until the middle of March.
Spring Clothing Demand.
As the season progresses, buyers are
selecting fancier weaves and brighter,
lighter colors, with mannish worsteds
particularly sought for women's suits
and coats. Printers are active on wash
goods for the Spring season, with much
of their business coming from weavers
Of rayon fabrics. The demand for fine
deniers In rayon yarns continues as a
feature of the markets, and this Is no
ticeable in the production OF viscoSe
yarns. Knitted rayon fabrics are being
produced in relatively less volume than
use Of woven rayons by number OF
the underwear cutters.
Production and demand for window
glass continue at about. the same rate
as during January, and but little i'm
mediate improvement is anticipated.
Plate glass production shows but little
change; while there Is moderate de-
mand from automobile sources, it is not
up to expectations. Stocks of glass in
hands of dealers are reported coinpara-
lively low, and such buying as is mani
tested in that source averages small.
Factories engaged IL the manufacture
of table and ornamental glassware,
especially the better grade pressed ware,
have in number of instances increased
production, in order to take care Of the
prompt shipments demanded by depart
ment stores and other retail establish
ments. Electrical equipment continues
to move rather slowly, with electric re-
frigeKators in fair demand. Radio pro-
duction is considerably below that for
the same period Of last year in volume,
with prices reduced, and orders con-
fined chiefly to the smaller and cheaper
models
Furniture factories still are running
on short schedules, but retailers report
that February semi-annual clearance
sales at price concessions are inspiring
hope for improvement. The campaigns
now being conducted for factory re-
habilitation have brought moderate
number Of orders to manufacturers of
machinery and machine tools. The de-
mand from automobile manufacturers,
working on new models, supplied this
industry with a small increase in busi-
ness since the first Of the year, but
shipments were about half the normal
total for this period. The chief gains
in the building industry for January
were reported in the San Francisco dis
trict, where permits issued reached the
highest total since 1906, as the result
of the work undertaken In connection
with the Golden Gate Bridge project.
Grocery Sales Gain.
Sales recorded by the grocery indus
try in January were in excess Of the
volume for the comparative month last
year, despite the dullness which char
acterized operations during the opening
weeks Of the year. The gain in tonnage
was due largely to the heavy purchases
made by buyers attending the food con-
ventions in Chicago. To increase the
consumption of Brazilian coffee, a spe-
cial committee Of importers now is
conducting campaign to bring about
the brewing of stronger coffee, in order
to improve the taste of the beverage.
Attention also is being called to the
blending qualities of the Brazilian
product and to the low prices at which
such coffee now is available.
There has been some betterment in
the coal market, because of weather
conditions, but the demand for both
anthracite and bituminous still is
markedly under the seasonal level. and
current prices are said to be too low
to yield satisfactory returns on capital
invested in the field. The outlook in
the petroleum field Is not SO favorable
as it appeared several weeks ago. as
there has been a substantial reduction
in the consumption Of petroleum, and
this volume shrinkage has been accom-
panied by materially lower prices for
both crude oil and the refined products.