Evening star., 1938-09-25
TRADE HAMPERED
BY FOREIGN NEWS
AND BAD WEATHER
Industrial Output Edges to
New Years High
During Week.
MOTOR CONCERNS START
WORK ON 1899 MODELS
Steel Production Reaches New
Peak and Larger Coal Shipments
Lift Freight Loadings.
BY IRVING PERLMETER.
Associated Press Financial Writer

| The combined onslaught of war
fears and storms dented the retail
and wholesale trade front this week.
Contrasting with the somewhat de-
pressed retail situation, however, was
another small upward movement of
| industrial production to new 1898
high level. Ten motor manufac-
| turers were beginning production of
1889 models, the steel industry acceler.
ated output to the years peak, and
larger coal movements helped ad-
vance railroad carloadings to the best
total of the year.
The Commerce Department, after
survey of 36 key cities, said:
The continued uncertainties abroad
made further inroads on American
business throughout the week. and.
while there were abundant evidences
OF continued recovery, progress was
slower.
Along with the war scare, the
disaster throughout wide areas of the
Northeastern States and heavy rains
IN other places, particularly in the
East, helped in the slowing-down
process. Retail trade was especially
adversely affected, while a cautious
attitude continued to pervade the
| wholesale field"
Some Cities Show Gains.
Stores in New Orleans, Honolulu,
Los Angeles and Charleston. S. c.. re-
ported better sales than a year ago.
while establishments in Norfolk. Hons.
ton and Memphis recorded naritv
with the corresponding week of 1887.
IN Chlcago, the volume of goods sold
was equal to that in the same week
last year, but the dollar value was
smaller, due to lower prices.
Haln held New York retail sales
down l4.4 per cent below the level of
year ago and a strike limited San
FRANCISCO trade, but in Detroit the
fourth consecutive weekly increase
accompanied the advance in automo-
bile employment.
! wholesale sources in New York re-.
ported few buyers willing ito speculate
on commitments" Mail recorders wer.
slower, the influx of buyers tapered
and a teamsters' strike hampered de-
| liveries.
Out-of-town orders to New York
wholesalers of womens and children's
apparel were described as fair ~
pest but glassware business was brisk.
IN the Northwest States and in Chi
cago wholesale reports were more en-
couraging.
Leather Stocks Iou
A survey showing extremely low
STOCKS OF leather and footwear induced
that trade to look for substantially
increased demand.
Business statistics available during
| the week included.
Inc Associated Press index of indus.
| trlal activity moved up for the eleventh
consecutive week to 1876 Der cent NJ
the l929-30 average, setting new
lnsh Ior the year. The index stood at
'S.2 the previous week, 1892 a wear
ago and 65.8 at the recession low,
! Inc American Iron and Steel Insti-
tute estimated 2-point rise in steel
miii operation to 428 per cent of ca
paclty, and said production was at
the highest level since last November.
| Railroad carloadings totaled 66o142
The traffic was l6 per cent better than
IN the Labor Day week this year, but
was still 1913 per cent below 1897
operations
Field stocks of new automobiles
were at negligible figures The auto
mobile industry increased its assem-
blies to 20,39O units, compared with
l6,l00 the previous week and 2a,O3o
a year ago, Wards automotive reports
showed
The Edison Electric Institute report
ed power production in the week ended
September II rose 81 per cent to
2,214775, 900 kilowatt hours. This was
a record for the year. Although out
put was 2.9 per cent beneath 1887 fig
ures. the decline from last year was
the smallest so far in 1898.