TIMES INDEX of PRODUCTION

Production Steady: The Labor Day holiday brought no slackening in U.S. business, TIME'S index rose to 162.0 (preliminary) in the Sept. 6 week against 161.5 (final) for the preceding week. To steelmakers goes credit for most of the rise; practically all of them worked on the holiday.

U.S. railroads loaded 912,000 freight cars in the Aug. 30 week, a new 1941 top. This week they start the final climb to the October seasonal peak. Power output hit 3,233 million k.w.h., highest ever and 18.2% above last year. As the Eastern gas shortage grew less fearsome, oilmen boosted weekly crude production to 4,004,700 barrels, a new record. Despite disemployment in some sections, the consumer buying orgy continued. July electric range sales jumped 118%, refrigerators 37%, both to new records. Season fur sales rose 47%.

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