Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-24
FOR THE DEAR ONES
The Holiday Trade Has Been
Simply Enormous.
CAPACITY or MILLS TESTED
There Has B.sn Less Failurss and
Trade Generally Has Assumed
Rosezs- Hue.

Nav IoRx, Dec. 23.-R- G.. Dun q
Co.'S weekly revis. OF trade will say
Reports OF tue condition OF trade are
decidedly more satisfactory IN most
lines, especially ia wcoAens, though
trade IN iron and steel IS nolleeatdy
weaker. The holiday trade through
out the north seems unusually large,
aud Is IS lively at some southern points.
In other products. distribution appears
generally larger than is usual for the
season. particularly IN dry goods. shoes
and furniture OF the better grade The
striking feature of the week 10 the great
demand for wooden and cotton goods.
All cotton machinery is employed a.
full capacity, but 10 behind the de-
mznd, and prices are exceedingly irm,
with . tendency to advance. In boots
and shoes there also appears very
unusual demand for the season, many
spring orders being placed, with urgent
demand tor early delivery. The iron
trade has become decidedly weaker,
and holders of pig make concessions OF
about % cents, the pressure 10 sell be-
ing manly northern. For nearly all
finished products the demand 10 slack.
Boston reports that cottons fully main
taia the advance in price and trade IN
woolens Is very promising. Leather Is
IN improved demand, and lumber
steady, while trade IN furniture ia good
and IN groceries large. A. Philadelphia
iron IS weak but hardware active. and
the coal trade fair. chemicals are steady
and the tobacco trade good.
Activity in All Lines.
Trade IN dry goods is gratifying in
( al respects for the season. save that
4 colder weather has been wanting for
I heavier goods. Al Cincinnati produce
K sales exceed last years, and the mar
I ket Tor tropical fruits Is strong. Busl-
ness Is good at Cleveland and at De-
l troit. Receipts at Chicago show gains
I OF 10 per cent in wheat. 20 IN hides and
/ sheep, 80 III barley and 90 IN butter.
compared with last year, but losses of
/ 10 IN dressed beef, 20 IN flour and
/ cheese, 80 in corn. 40 in hogs, 80 in
( wool and 10 in rye and pork. Trade is
/ good az 81. Paul and Minneapolis, and
the output of flour Is large.
/ Trade IA strong At st. Louis and very
I active at Omaha and Denver. At New
! Orleans there is fair activity for the
season, though sugar IS IN large de-
mand and rye improving IN price.
/ Speculative markets were much dis
turbed by large gold exports. Exports
of products fall behind last years, but
! the outgo of gold Is evidently due IN
the main to foreign sales of securities,
and whether these will continue no
/ one can say with certainty. The bust
ness failures occurring throughout the
! country during the last seven days as
! reported to K. Or. Dun & Co., number,
! for the United States 2S3 and for Can
ada Is, total OF sol; compared with
totals OF 3O4 last week and 297 the
week previous 10 the last. For the
corresponding week Of Last year the
figures were 292, representing 257 fail
ures in the United States and 80 IN the
Dominion of Canada.
Quiet in Canada.
New York, Dec. 23.-Bradstreets
trade report says: Some gain in the
volume of general trade is reported
from the Canadian dominion, due To
cold weather. After n temporary
lIghtness IN the Montreal money mar
ket, funds there are easier again. The
banks have plenty of funds, but are
holding large balances. Toronto re-
ports several lots of flour taken for ex
port. Halifax wires that 900 Nova
Scotia coal miners have struck and q
new tariff 70 favor impOrtAtions from