Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-02-07
REVIEW OF TRADE.
Views Of Dun and Bralstre,t on
Conditions and Outlook.
Business Is Sill Waiting, Rut
There Are Some Signs of
Definite Improvement.

New York, Feb. 1.-R. G. Dun & Co.,
in their weekly review of trade, say:
Though business is still waiting, there
ore some signs Of definite improvement.
It Is now believed that the first payment
for bonds will cause no further pressure,
and the money markets are easier, as re-
spects loaln; on collateral, though the diff
ficulty of making commercial loans still
checks operations But large maturitIes
at the end of January have been met more
satisfactorily THIN was expected and mer-
chants and tanEers report that the signs
promise a good spril trade.
NO increase appears as yet in the de-
mand 10 the p. incIpal products, unless for
some fotns OF iron and steel, in which good
contracts have been made this week. Do
nestle trade recorded through clearing
houses is SIS per cent. smaller than year
ago. Signs of improvement in the iron and
steel business are gratifying, even though
they spring from combinations which have
raised the price Of coke and allotted the
output of lake iron ore Pig iron is rather
weaker, southern works competing sharp
ly,While speculative buyers of some months
ego are selling below present furnace
prices, but the average for all products is
practically unchanged and liza per cent
below the highest last year.
The demand for boots and shoes does
| not enlarge, though prices still decline
about per cent. for the week and hides
ind leather are both lower. The cotton
duction, as goods continue weak, with an
| output largely exceeding distribution,
though the week has brought considerably
more inquiries and larger spring trade is
still hoped for. Woolens are practically
unchanged. Sales of wool at the three
chief markets have diminished of late,
manufacturers buying only for present
| needs
Wheat has again advanced about 8
cents for cash, but only ~ for May. al.
f1,N,p II t1Nv, t.
! than year ago. Neither this fact nor the
| continued excess of western receipts ex-
plain an advance for which the basis or
the excuse must be sought In foreign re-
ports. Corn has ceased to "sympathize."
| and records little advance. Cotton is
| shade lower than week ago.
The earnings of railroads in three weeks
| of January were SO per cent larger than
last year. The stock market has been
| lifted by these returns and hopeful none
| tary conditions, so that the average for
| railroad stocks is S1S4 per share and for
| trust $1.& per share higher than a week
| ago. The expectation of an anthracite
| settlement has been a powerful factor,
| and 1t is generally supposed that prices
| will rise after the bond settlement.
Failures in three weeks of January
show liabilities of sl7,SS65l1. against $780,
6S5,C6O last year; in manufacturing $6,G61,-
l29 this year, against $2,479.l93 last year; in
trading, 1850. against $S,165,267 last
year. dHuFeS tillS week nave Deen 4uf
| In the United States, against S54 last year,
and ~ In Canada. against 81 last year"
Bradstreet's View.
Bradstreet's says of the trade situa-
ton:
"The features of the week are continued
| retarded demand for merchandise and
| checked Industrial operations Least sat
| tstactory Is the waiting attitude of some
| OF the more important Industries. Shoe
| factoriesat Philadelphia are shutting down
OF running on part time; cotton-goods maxi
| ers regard the outlook for their product
| unpromistng: there is reaction in the
! price of steel billets; among 80 pig-iron
| furnaces In the Pittsburgh and Shenango
| districts IA are idle, and the position Of
! Woolen-goods manufacturers is shown by
the fact that foreign WOODEN goods are rel
| atively the most active.
| General trade at the close of Janu-
| ory proves disappointing, particularly in
central western, western and northwest
| ern states where tho movement of mer-
| chandise from jobbers has been slow and
unsatisfactory, 1t being only fair at few
| points. The volume of spring goods dis
| tributed from Chicago in January falls be-
hind expectations. although larger than
| in January. 1885. Some traders in terri
| tory tributary to Chicago are making or
| ders small. owing to having carried over
| large stocks and to desire to contne pur-
| cbases to actual requirements. At ST.
| Louis spring demand is slow and general
| tlade Is characterized as only fair by the
| most sangune. The condition in the north
| west Is such that grain moves freely in
| some regions, irrespective of low prices.
| result of all this is shown by the cuts
by New York, Chicago and ST. Louis job
hers in prices of standard cotton goods,
which denloralizeS demand"