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BUSINESS NEWS BUREAU: Tribune Building l.vl Nassau Street e Tribune's Pase of ? TELEPHONES: Beekman 8243 Beekman 3000 Applaud Return of Cable Lines to Their Owners Government Operation of Publie Utilities Vexatious and Costly, N. Y. Cham? ber of Commerce Holds Government operation of public utilities hns been inefficient, vexatious and costly, in the opinion of the mem? bers of the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York. Resolutions to this effect were adopted yesterday at the annual meeting of the organization. The "apparent willingness" of the Postmaster General to return the cable lines to their owners was approved. The resolutions further declared that gince the government took control of the telephone, telegraph and cable sys? tems of the country there has been g marked deterioration in the charac? ter of service rendered. "The experience of nine months," read the resolutions, "has created a profound conviction that government operation of such utilities should be discontinued at the earliest possible date." Alfred E. Marling was re?lected president of the chamber for the com? ing year. Other officers were elected as follows: Vice-presidents. Samuel \V. Pairchild, John D. Rockefeller, jr., and Jacob H. Schiff; treasurer, William 11. Porter; secretary, Charles T. Gwynne; chairman of executive committee, Weld tag Ring. The commercial and economic posi? tion of the new Czecho-Slovak Republic vas discussed before the meeting by Charles Perg'.er, commissioner of the republic in the United States. Mr. r.Tgler emphasized the fact that, before the war. the territory of what is now the Czecho-Slovak Republic was, economically and financially, one of the most important o the Austrian prov? inces. More than 62 per cent of the burden of Austrian taxation was borne by the Czech countries, he said. They produced f>8 per cent of the grain, mined 83 per cent of the coal and 60 ?-or cent of the iron, and had 00 per of the sugar factories. The textile industry in Czecho-Slo vakia. said Mr. Pergler, is of large pro? portions, and the leather, paper, fur? niture and electro-technical industries are of importance. For the Ami rican exporter it is important to know, he said, that the largest single item of the republic's importations is the cot? ton needed to supply I pindles. The meeting of the chamber was .oponed by Cleveland H. Dodge, vice I president, who presided untii after the 1 el tion of* officers, when Mr. Marling took the chair. A memorial to Augus ' B D. Juilliard, who <t'!"! on April 25. i as adopted. Major Elihu C. Church. of the United States army, made an appeal for the employment of return? ing so. I A resolution was adopted in favor of '?the enactment of legislation by Con increase tho efficiency of the P . President Marling was i- to appoint a special com ?: " ' . to study methods for the : f h r i f t. t.-'-.?o, disputes involving millions of been satisfactorily Bettled vi-hout resort to litigation by the 'committee on arbitration of the Cham I'.-r of Commerce, according to the re Kort submitted by Charle:; L. Bern ! im r, its chairman. Tho report ? ed that the cancel lat ions of V -tr contracts, amounting to $3,000,000, b 10, were not being settlofl in a satis? factory manner, and that Congress will Vave to adopt the Calder-Snyder bill,-^r lome similar measure, if the business ?riterests of the country aro not to be Subjected to severe hardships. Requests for the settlement of dia ? putos have come to.the committee from h great variety of sources, inrluding foreign ministers, consuls and foreign chambers of commerce. ' Rubber Output of Garden Hose Is Reduced; Jobbers Ex? pect Lower Prices Manufacturers of garden hose are , Poing a comparatively small business, i With the larger percentage of the or i iers received coming from the Western I territory. One Eastern concern which ?trmally turns out about 1,000,000 feet ?? hose per month at fhis time of the j -ear is reported to be making less than ?if this amount now. The decreased temand is due to the impression among jobbers that lower prices will be quoted ?ortlf. Manufacturers declare that bis is not likely because they have . 5?rge stock* of fabric and other ina ?terial which were bought at high prices ttd which must be worked up into liesc and sold before any revision in ?4? price list can b? expected. In some "Ittrters it is held that lower prices ? be asked about July 1. Textiles Woollen Agents Expect Reaction From High Col? ored Novelty Designs Pome of the leading woollen agents say they have detected-a slight falling off in the demand for cloths of bright colors and conspicuous patterns for next fall. The present spring season and the coming fail season have devel? oped what is probably the peak de? mand in novelty clothing for men. Early orders for" fall woollens showed a strong tendency toward the brighest colors that could bo made and much business was booked on cloths of that kind. Present spring models in ready made clothing show radical styles, such as the waist seam coat carved out of the fanciest goods the clothing manu? facturers could procure. Now. seme cf the forward thinkers in both the woollen goods ar.d cloth? ing trades fee! that this wave is wan? ing, and that after the early fall sales of clothing the public will revise its : ideas of dress and demand more con? servative attire. Woollen selling agents always feel i more or less shaky on the novelty cloth question. They icason that while there is a chance to sell great quanti? ties of novelty cloths when they are in style, there is nothing to indicate how quickly they may dtop out of fashion. When this occurs the cloth? ing manufacturers cancel their orders for cloth and the mill agent thus comes into possession of a quantity of mer? chandise for which it is difficult to find another market. Some of the leading clothing manu? facturers have been forced to adopt th- novel styles in their garments and to use fancy cloths at the behest of their customers, but they work against this tendency as much as possible. The staple trade on the. more conservative styles and cloths, they say, is the only safe trade: one in which cancellations arc fewest. Speculating "Jobbers" Active In the Woollen Market Woollen and worsted cloth specula? tors, who operate under the guise of "jobbers,'' are making desperate ef? forts to obtain large quanties of goods for next fall, according to leading sell? ing agents. TI c representative of one of the largest New England woollen mills said that throe large jobbers who specu 1 lated freely in fabrics during the cloth hysteria of the last year had visited his oihee yesterday in an effort to place large orders. According to the mill agents the jobbers are attempt? ing to acquire the staples, such as serges, rather than the fancy cloths. ' At present most of the mills making . serges have sold the production of their mills for many months to come, and have nothing to offer. The job? bers, however, aie said to be fairly well supplied with serges, which they arc holding for higher prices. Silks Country-JJ ide Rage for Silks Sivamps Mills With Orders Buying of silk goods yesterday was exceptionally heavy, probably being in excess of that for any day since the fall season opened two weeks ago. Visiting merchants, besides placing lib? eral orders for fall fabrics, also bought good quantities of the spring weaves I out of stocks still being carried by sell? ing agents. Travelling men sent in what heads of leading concerns referred to as "enormous orders," the rage for silk in all parts of the country apparently rendering it easy for road salesmen to get. business. Some of the more popu? lar fall feaves already have been sold in quantities equal to the capacity of the mills which produce them. In other cases selling agents accepted orders only with the understanding that de? liveries would be made as soon as prac? ticable. The plain fabrics seemed to lie in brisk demand, and goods suitable for lining women's coats have been sold in unprecedented volume. Precise figures regarding the busi ness done in the month of April were '?'>t available, but some of the largest houses in the trade reported that the money value of the turnover last month eclipsed that of any month in their history. Raw Silk Demand Heavy New drop Offers From Japan Expected in August Importers of raw silk yesterday re? ceived numerous inquiries fron' large manufacturers for supplies to be de? livered during the month of July. Re? duced stocks, coupled with the recent ad vanee in prices, restricted actual buying. Advices from Japan indicated that arrivals of raw silk at Yokohama were being rapidly absorbed, which fact keep? the visible supply at that centre at about I?,000 bales. It was stated that silk from the new Japanese crop will not be received in the United States until the early part of August. Tussah, or wild silk, of a brown color, and chiefly obtained from India and China, was said to be in active de? mand at an advance of 10 cents a pound. Most of the business in tus aahs was provided by manufacturers of hosiery, upholstery and silk and cotton mixtures. Heavy Orders for Hosiery So many orders have been placed for Bilk hosiery that some of the manu? facturers say they may have to w,ith draw their lines within the next two weeks. Jobbers from one end of the country to the other have sent in lib? eral orders, and these have been sup p i :.- nted by large orders received from travelling salesmen. Prices for silk hosiery have been advanced 1\'? to 10 per cent within the past fort? night. Satisfactory orders for chil? dren's fine mercerized cotton hosiery have been booked arid infants' "ull length stockings have sold freely. Even low grade co! ton socks, demand for which had been dull, are in better call. Jewelry "No Let-Up in Business for Jewelry Factories in Evidence New records for business continue to he established in tho jewelry indus? try, with the manufacturers starting the present month with more orders on hand than ever before at this time. In other year* the latter part of April and the entire month of May have been dull period? in which manufacturers devoted most of their energies, to pro? ducing merchandise for delivery In the fall. Now they are having difficulty in producing sufficient to satisfy cur? rent demands. In some actions it is reported retailers .'ire feeling the influ? ence of the Victory Loan drive, but i?tti?>jf*cturcr;< declare! that, the trade. I men continue to place order? for more ? goods, I Prosperity Depends On Success of Victory Loan Head of Woollen and Wo rsted Committee Explains Why Business Men Should Invest in Notes Offered by Government EVERY business man should be made to realize thoroughly that prosperity in this particular ! line of trade as well as every other industry depends largely upon the success of the Victory Liberty Loan," i Mant?n B. Metcalf, chairman of the Woollen ami Worsted Committee, said yesterday, when asked what seemed to be necessary to give impetus to the drive for subscriptions among the vari i ous trades of the city. "If the woollen men want the in? creased business which has come tc them in the last few months to con tinue," he said, "they will do their shar? in lending the government money en enough to pay its just debts and so heir ; keep the nation on a sound financia basis, and the wheels of industry turn ing. "The present drive to sell Victor; notes lacks some of the patriotic fervo that characterized previous war loai campaigns, so it seems necessary ti make the appeal for subscription 1 along business lines stronger. This i j not difficult to do when offering a se I curity like Victory notes. They offer j exceptional advantages both to the large and the small investor. The j government's proposition is fair to I everybody, and I can think of no valid excuse that could be made by anyone for not investing in them. "Our industry is one of the largest | in the city, and has a high quota, but i 1 feel confident that before the drive ! is over the Woollen and Worsted Com I mittoe will be able to announce that j the thousands of patriotic Americans I engaged in the trade which it repre j Bent? havo bought Victory notes in ex I ceno of the amount allotted to them. "With a single stroke of the pen n : BubHcribcr to the Victory Loan does 1 three things: He fulfils a duty which every citizen and patriot owes to his | KciYcrninent; he places his money in ! the safest investment the market to 1 day affords, and, lastly, he contributes ? to a revival of prosperity which the people of this nation are contemplat ' fila with hopeful expectancy. "When they begin to think of ;t se 1 rlously In this light, it is not difficult I to perBuado anyone to buy a Victory ! note." It is beginning to be recognized that | one of the main reasons why business i is not borrowing now is not because business is bad, but because it has ac '? cumulated a remarkable cash surplus and is going along on it. One of the hopes of those who make their living on the commercial paper market is that as business expands these funds will be used up, will prove inadequate, and , when that line is passed business will step in to borrow. The market seems to be pretty well established at ?i'.j rjer cent for the big names, according to leading paper deal? ers. About four banks in X'ew York are holding out for 5',-i, but most of the banks in the city will buy at 5%. In Chicago the banks are reported to be eager for paper and to be absorbing all they can get at that rate. A few dealers The rango of rates is from 5 to 5%. Yesterday, as the first of the month, ? was nearly as dull as the day before, and for the same reasons. Several of the big New York institutions are still Cotton Mills Are Sold Far Ahead Ob Colored Goods Southern Jobbers Partici? pated Actively in Large Business Now Doing in Local Dry Goods Market Less snap in the buying of print cloths, but sustained activity in de? mand for bleached as well as colored cottons, was observed yesterday in the drygoods district. Leading mill agents asserted that they had taken so much business in colored shirtings for the spring season of 1920 that they might ! be forced to cease booking additional orders until the mills increased their outputs. All other kinds of colored fabrics were in excellent demand. Bleached goods were taken by cut? ters in liberal volume, and jobbers bought fairly large quantities. Job? bers from the South seemed to be the best customers. Some of the selling agents asserted that bleached goods were pretty well sold up to next Sep? tember, and it was intimated that the next four months would see a paucity of spot stocks. In the gray or unbleached goods divi? sion of the market buying seemed to have abated somewhat, probably be? cause of the recent advances in prices incident to the large volume of orders that had been placed during the last few weeks. While clothing linings | were said to be in good request, some I out of the market. In general, how ? ever, paper bus been reported as mov? ing more freely during the past week. In the bank acceptance market some ! dealers found a broader demand than | recently. This is not to say that the ! demand has been heavy but it has been i coming from more institutions. A few more bills have been coming on the ! market. Some dealers complain, how iever, that these are nearly all ninety day bills; that ninety-day bills cannot ? be sold, and that the sixty-day bills, j which can be sold as son as they are | received continue as scarce as ever. | A hopeful tendency yesterday was the ; decline of call money from an opening rate of 6 per cent, to a closing quota ' tion of 5 per cent. While call money ' has been firm during the loan period ? it has not been as firm as generally expected. 1 Fifteen to sixty-day prime trade ac? ceptances were quoted at B@5Vi per cent; sixty to ninety days, 5?/ 51? per cent; indorsed trade acceptances, l'i 1 per cent, all maturities. sellers conceded that (he relatively ! high prices now prevailing were mak I ing buyers more cautious about placing | orders. Some of the mills that turn ' out clothing linings have sold their [outputs up to October next, and mills ! making silk-filled fabrics, the warp being all cotton, are not disposed to i quote prices for goods to be delivered after next October, principally because of the sharp advance that has taken placo i . silk. j Ribbons Scarcer Because Of Curtailed Production ' Leading manufacturers of silk rib? bons reported yesterday that they virtually were overwhelmed with or? ders, and that because of lack of skilled workers, chiefly women, their looms were operating at only (JO per cent of full capacity. The "craze" for ribbons with which to trim women's j garments is responsible for the robust j volume of orders manufacturers have I received. Ribbons five to seven inches I wide and in nearly all colors are be? ing used on an extensive scale for making camisoles. But millinery job? bers are buying fall goods in a con? servative way. It was intimated that | prices for silk ribbons soon would be ; advanced 5 to 10 per cent, this being ' in addition to a similar advar.ee made ? on April 2-1 last. .-.*.-__ j Linen for Huckaback Towels 1 It was reported yesterday that some ! Japanese flax had been sold to Ameri? can spinners recently, and it was in? timated that the linen to be derived I from the flax would be used in mak I ing huckaback towels. The Japanese ! were estimated to have devoted 80,000 lacres to the cultivation ' of flax last ! year, and the impression is that the ?area will be greatly increased this year, prices for flax being so profitable 1 to growers. as s Commodities May 1, 1919 (Note. -?n those cases where no transactions were reported the "bid" prices are given.) METALS Thursd'y. Wedn'sd'v. aKo. ago. Pig iron, Fdy No. 2 x, per ton (Pittsb'gh) $28.15 $28 15 " $28 1^ ? Lead, per lb. .05 ,05 ?05 .07.17'/, Copper, per lb. .151 4 .15' ^ .151 -, * 9, ?n Spelter, per lb. .06.37^ .06.40 0(3 40 07 ?S Antimony, per lb.06^ .0634 063j -? Tin, per lb.72J/a .72'/, 7o{1 '*v, PRECIOUS METALS " /4 Platinum, per oz.$100.00 $100.00 $100.00 $108 00 Si,vpr' P? oz. 1-01J4 1.01ft 1.01 9?25 CHEMICALS Sulphuric acid, 20? oleum, per ton. $25.00 $25.00 $25 00 $?5 00 Sulphuric acid, 66?, per ton. 16.50 16.50 1650 ? Nitric acid, per lb.08 08 pa v 1 * Caustic soda, 76%, per 100 lbs. 2.60 2 60 07= ?J2?? ? Soda ash, 58% light (bbls.), per 100 lbs. 1.60 1 ?0 160 pari Phenol. U. S. P., (carloads), per lb.08 .08 08 60 Glycerine, dynamite, per lb.14- .i5i/2 #14. w/ \A_ ?, ' Clycerine, crude, per lb.09[/2 .09|/> 09'/ - Glycerine, c. p. (in drums).16 \l6*" '-\qZ \ct/ Alcohol (denat.), per gal.45- .43 .45- .48 .45- 48 71 Alcohol (non.-bev.), per gal. 4.90 4.90 4 90 405 Nitrate of soda, 96%, per 100 lbs. 4.07^2 4.07!/2 4.07y2 435 COTTON 27.75 6.35 7.20 5.65 .26'/ Middling upland, per lb. 29.40 29.15 28.86 SILKS Japan filature, No. 1, Shinshiu, per lb- 7.30 7.30 7.00 ( hlna-stcum filature, best, No. 1, per lb. 7.50 7.50 7.00 Canton filature, Ex. Ex. A, per lb. 5.45 5.45 5?40 HIDES ANO LEATHER Hides, city slaughter, spread, per lb. .40 .40 .32 ^^^^ Hides, city, n?t. Btrs., sel., 60 or over, lb. .31 .31 .27'^ .25 Calfskins, city, 9 to 12 lbs., per skin- 7.25 7.25 6.92'2 5^35 Leather, hemlock sole: OverweiRhts, No. 1, per lb. .50 .50 .50 .49' Middleweight!, No. 1, per lb.50 .50 .48 ^43 RUBBER Para, up-river, fine, per lb.55'/2 .56'/;, .55'2 .68' Para, up-river, coarse, per lb. .35 .35 .34 .38 Pia?- 1xt. late?, pale, crepe, per lb. .d8 .48 .40 .68 Plan., brown, crepe, thin, denn, per Ib.. . .45' 2 .46'/2 Aty% .57 Plan., ribbed smoked sheets, per lb. .47 .47 .48 .67 Rainbow Division Catches "Victory Spirit" in Drive Trades and Industries of District Striking Faster Pace, but Total Is Still Behind Its Schedule Subscriptions received yesterday by the Rainbow Division of the Victory Liberty Loan Committee indicated that the trades and industries of the city have caught the victory spirit. Meas? ured by the money value of the orders for securities, yesterday was the most successful soliciting day of the cam? paign. The total for the day, reported by the various branches of the Advis? ory Trades Committee reached $49,281, 400, bringing the aggregate thus far during the campaign up to $155,165,800 of the quota of $660,122,000. Although the division is still $184, 534,200 behind its schedule, the mana? gers of the drive believe that it has struck its pace, which in the last cam? paign resulted in its receiving one seventh of all the subscriptions filed throughout the United States. "The spurt to the goal is on," is a summary of the comment of the chairmen. The Hospitals : nd Sanatorium Com? mittee won the distinction yesterday of being the third unit of the Rainbow Division to pass its allotment. Mrs. John Purroy Mitchel, chairman, an? nounced that $306,700 had already been raised through the committee, whose quota is $240,000. $7,325,850 From One Committee William II. Taylor, chairman of the Hardware, Metals and Allied Trades Committee, reported yesterday sub? scriptions of $7,325,850. One of these was the $5,000,000 subscription from the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, which had already been announced. Others received through this committee in? clude: American Can Company, $505, 000; Underwood Typewriter Company, $500,000; Remington Typewriter Com? pany,' $500,000; American Steel Foun? dries, $320,000; A. G. Spalding & Bros., $100,000; John Simmons Company, $50, 000 ..additional); Crocker Brothers, $50,000 (additional i ; New Process Metal Company, $41,000; Federal Add? ing Machine Company, $25,000. Subscriptions obtained by the Min? ing Committee have reached $2,624,250, according to Charles Hayden, chair? man. Among the larger subscribers were: New Jersev Zinc Company, $1, 318,000; Vogelstein & Co., $500,000; Adolph Lcwisohn & Sons, $250,000; James McLean, $250,000; El Potosi Milling Company, $100,000; Nichols Cooper Company, $50,000; and Esper? anza .Mining Company, $115,000. Tobacco Men Subscribe Edward Wise, chairman of the To? bacco Committee, said that $1,344,800 in subscriptions were received yester? day from the following, among others: P. Lorillard Company, $1,000,000; The Conley Foil Company, $100,1)00; A. Santaella, $50,000; E. Rosenwald & H rother, $50,000; officers of D. A. Schulte, Inc., $25,000. To the grand total for the division, $828,800 was added by the Hat, Cap and Allied Trades Committee, which- re? ceived these subscriptions among others: American Equitable Associa? tion, $100,000; Jonas & Kaumberg, $100,000; Waring Hat Manufacturing Company, Hatters' Fur Exchange, $85, 000; Truly Warner, $75.000; Kaufman ilats, $60,000; John Weber Company, $40,000; Charles Lew's Sons, $35,000; J. T. Asch & Sons, $30,000; C. S. Met ton & Co., $25.000; Sarnoff-Irving Hat .'?'tores, $25.ooo; and A. Wimpfheimer & Co., $25.000. The total for the Coal Trades Com? pany was $1,653,150. Among the large subscribers were: Delaware, Lacka wanna & Western Coal Company. $1, 500,000; Pennsylvania Coal & Coke Cor? poration, $60.000; and Nicholas L. Stokes, $40,000. Subscriptions reaching $366,500 were reported by the Children's and In? fants' Wearing Apparel Committee. Among the other reports indicating rapid progress were: The Jewelry Trade Committee, $486.550 for the day and $1,200,000 thus far; Machinery Committee, $2,580,000 thus far; the Fur Industry Committee, $886.500 thus far; Clothing and Allied Trades Committee, $140,500 yesterday and $2,600,000 thus far. Subscriptions of $25,000 from North & Judd and $15,000 from the Harris Suspender Company, were reported by A. C. Knothe, chairman of the Belts, Suspenders and Garters' Committee. A subscription of $225,000 from S. H. Kress & Co. was reported by the China, Glass, Toys and Allied Trades' Com? mittee, L. S. Ilinman chairman. An additional subscription of $50,- j 000 from the Standard Textile Pro- ' lucts Company was announced by Bert- ! ram H. Borden, chairman of the 'Whole? sale Dry Goods Trade Committee. Leading Women's Clubs The Council of Jewish Women is now leading all organizations work? ing under the Woman's Clubs Com? mit lee, Mrs. William A. Campbell, chairman. This organization reported more than $3,000,000 in subscriptions to the Fourth Liberty Loan, and ex? pects to have a larger total for the Victory Liberty Loan. The woman's clubs, federated and non-federated, reported $654,950 ad? ditional subscriptions yesterday, giv? ing the committee a total of $1,773, 850 to date. New York Lagging, Says Sissons Subscriptions amounting to $250,000 were added to the total of the com mittee representing that industry in the Rainbow Division of the Liberty Loan committee at a meeting of the manufacturers of leather goods held in thi' Hotel McAlpin yesterday. Pre? viously the leather goods workers had subscribed $110,000 to the Victory Lib? erty Loan, according to an announce? ment by M. J. Spiegel, chairman of the meeting. F. H. Sisson, vice-president of the Guaranty Trust Company, was the principal speaker. He said it was un- I fortunately true that New York was ; lagging behind the rest of the coun? try in Victory Loan work. Meetings and Conventions i_._,_ Complete plans for the establish? ment of a training school for fur work- ; ors probably will be laid before the fur ! trade of the city and vicinity at the I first banquet of the newly organized Retail Furriers' Association of Amer? ica at the Waldorf-Astoria May 19. In? vitations to about three thousand per? rons in nil branches of the fur trade wero sent out yesterday. A meeting of the Board of Directors if the National Retail Dry Goods As iociation will be held in the organizn ion's headquarters, 200 Fifth Avenue, icxt Thursday, May H. CTORY LOAN Subscriptions will be received at our Liberty Loan Depart? ment. We will be pleased to render service to investors in financ? ing their subscriptions. THE IMPORTERS and TRADERS NATIONAL BANK of NEW YORK 247 Broadicay?Opposite City Hall Park 4505 out of an issue of 5000 Shares of the Capital Stock of \NCE COMPANY OF HARTFORD a Connecticut Corporation NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Alien Property Custodian will offer for sale at public sale to the highest bidder, at the office of the First Reinsurance Company of Hartford, 18 Asylum Street, Hartford, Connecticut, at 1 o'clock P. M., the 7th day of May, 1919, the following property, to wit: Those certain 4505 shares of the capital stock of the First Reinsurance Company of Hartford, a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Connecticut! held by the Alien Property Custodian, for which certificates are now held by the Farmers Loan & Trust Company in New York as depositary for the Alien Property Custodian. It is expected that at the same time and place there will also be offered for sale by the present owners thereof about fifty shares (more or less) of the Capital Stock of the said The First Rein? surance Company of Hartford. Further information concerning the property to be sold, including the terms and conditions of sale, may be had by application to MR. WM. C. SCHEIDE, Chief, Division of Insurance, Alien Property Custodian, Washington, D. C. FRANCIS P. GARVAN, Alien Property Custodian Furs The Australian Opossum Skins Bring High Price at London Auction At the fur auction of A. & W. Nes bitt, Ltd., London, England, yesterday Australian opossum skins brought prices ranging from 20 to 100 per cent above those received at the mid? winter sale held by that concern. Fine blue skins advanced 100 per cent over January; pale, 70 per cent, and red. 20 per cent. C. M. Lampson & Co. also sold Australian furs in London yes? terday. These two firms, together with F. Huth and several smaller brokers, will continue the fur sale in London on Tuesday, with general offerings. These probably will occupy the rest of the week, and the sale of American staple pelts, such as inuskrat, skunk, opossum and raccoon, will begin on May 12. Leather Chamois Skin W anted in Large Quantities Follow? ing Dearth of Orders Following a long period during which they refrained from placing business expecting that prices would i be reduced, buyers of chamois skin are : now in the market for large quantities of this material. Orders received re? cently by the manufacturers have been so heavy that tpey are now unable to \ meet the demand. During the last few ! months stocks at the factories have been reduced considerably by sales to ; foreign customers. Prices have remained unchanged for the last year. Raw stocks are said , to be plentiful, but the finished product is senrce. Originally chamois skin was obtained from the animal of that name, native of the Swiss Alps and ; other mountainous sections, but now ? it is part of the skin of sheep. The usen for chamois skin are con- ! stantly increasing. In addition to being used extensively for cleaning purposes, it now serves as linings in shoes and overcoats as well as being Shortage of Upper Leather In its review of the past week's de I development in the leather market ? "The Shoe and Leather Reporter" says: \ "There is an increasing volume of business on all the better grades of sole leather. Offal is well sold up, particularly on union heads. The sup? ply of the better grades of upper leather is not equal to the demand. The market is becoming more excited and feverish. It is feared that the ab? normal experiences of 11)16 will be re? peated." Chemicals German Chemicals Again Finding Way into Neu? tral Markets Sales of German-made chemical;-, especially pharmaceuticals, to the Scandinavian countries and Holland are increasing daily, according to reports reaching the trade here. The Ger? man manufacturer, in the opinion of local dealers, will have little difficulty in regaining these markets even though they may be forced to pay more for labor and materials than they did be? fore the war. Their principal advan? tage over competitors in other coun? tries is said to be in lower freight rates on heavy chemicals, while in the case of pharmaceuticals, the cost of transportation of which is relatively un? important because of the smallness of packages and the high price of the product, the Germans have the ad? vantage of proximity to the Nether? lands and Scandinavian markets. The principal pharmaceuticals being sold by the Germans to those markets are reported to be all grades of salicy ?ates, benzoatos and phenneet ine. The effect of these sales apparently is al? ready felt by American manufacturers, orders from the countries named hav? ing fallen off considerably during the past two weeks. U. S. Wool Consumption WASHINGTON, May 1.?Wool con? sumption, which had declined sharply since November, took n jump in March over figures for February. During March manufacturers used about 34, (100,000 pounds of wool, grease equiva? lent, nn increase of 6,500,000 pounds compared to February of this year, although still less than half of the wool used during March, 1918. *New York Firm Pays ! Record Price for Sable Paris Buyers Compele Actively for Offerings at St. Louis Fur Sale ST. LOUIS. May 1.?One of the choicest . and largest collections of Russian sables that ever came to the United States sold on the international fur exchange to-day for the highest price that the trade here has ever paid for such pelts. One lot of ten pelts brought a total of $10.250. The^ highest price was $1,025, and the next,, $840, with plenty running from $3?05 to $500. In all 5,389 Russian sables; were sold. Much excitement prevailed in the trade over the hisjh prices paid. Bids jumped $5 and $10 a raise on good lots. Japanese sables also, brought , high prices, the best going to $6'), , but most of them selling from $.35 t? ! $50. Some of the poorer goods went under $20. Lynx sold exceptionally well, with nearly all buyers contending. Sixty \ dollars was the highest prices, with th< I bulk selling from $25 to $45. European buyers and brokers exeeut : ing foreign orders bought a good shan . of the lynx. A collection of 1,001 ; white fox opened at $15, but wen ' quickly up to $66. keeping around tha figure for the best, most of the se!lin? : being around $40 to $50. Fourtee I thousand gray fox went briskly at fai ; prices, the highest quotation bein ; $3.70 and the lowest 85 cents. Fifter ? hundred bears sold quickly for $20 j 060 and fifteen polar bears brougl $440. H. Jaeckcl & Sons, of New York, pai ! the highest prices for Russian sable Paris bought heavily of best pood ! Sales for the day totalled $973,67 making the grand total to date near $3,400,000. The official market a nounccment quotes: (?ray fox, u changed; white fox, 25 per cent higiie Russian sables, 100 per cent highe .Japanese sables, 75 per cent li'ghc !i:nv_ 30 tier cpnt hii'hor