Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-03-10
TRADE SITUATION.
improvement in Business Is Only in
Prospect Not in Actual Sales.
Slightly Lower Range Of Prices Re-
ported in All Industries-Large
Failure Record.

New York, March 7.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'s weekly review of trade says:
ut must yet be broadly stated that bust
ness appears to improve only in prospect,
and in the confidence on which future
transactions may be based, but not as yet
In actual sales accomplished. The indus
tries all report a slightly lower range OF
prices. except for iron and steel products.
The demand for no class of iron products
is at this time brisk. but large structural
business Is expected In the spring. and there
Is still much hopefulness about railroad
orders, as earnings continue to improve.
The reports Of the boot and shoe interest
are not on the whole more encouraging
'his week. shipments from the east being
Glll nearly ~ per cent. less than last year,
hut there was no further decline in prices.
No important change appears in the leather
market, and hides are somewhat weaker.
Failures for the week have been 2S5 In
the United States, against 234 last year,
and 6s In Canada. against IS last year.
Prices OF wool have declined an average
of "a per cent. within the month of Feb
ruary, presumably because Of the failure
Of the proposed tariff bill, which included
duties on wool. At present the sales are
The smallest recorded for years. There Is
no improvement whatever in the demand
for wooden goods. and number Of estab-
lishments have closed or reduced their
working force in order to give the market
opportunity to clear itself. Speculation in
breadstuffs has not been particularly &C.
tive, nor has change in prices been I'm
portant. With continuing large receipts
corn remains substantially unchanged III
price.
THE Cuban resolutions and the appoint
ment of receivers for tho Baltimore &
Ohio were events of sufficient Importance
to affect almost any genuine market, es-
pecially for securities. 1t therefore argues
either remarkable strength of conditions
or an entire want Of life and genuineneso
in the market that the prices Of the 60 most
active railroad stocks. which averaged 49,
u per share February !, have never fallen
lower than $4936. nor risen above $50.S5 per
share The market is largely under the
control of operators who cannot afford to
see 1t decline much, but 1t Is also true that
the vote on Cuba and the receivership had
both been discounted. The strength Of the
market is largely due to more satisfactory
reports of railway earnings.
1.-THE volume of business reflected by
clearing house exchanges Is not materially
improving, the weeks returns showing
gain Of only SIS per cent. over last year,
and decrease OF 17.6 per cent. in COM
parison with the same week Of 1893"
Bradstreet's says:
General trade began the week relatively
less favorabiy: with the change from high
winds and extreme cold which checked
trading to milder weather, increased pur-
chases and brighter prospects for busl-
ness have appeared. Makers Of wooden
goods report spring trade over, fall trade
not yet begun and much men's-wear wooden
machinery Idle. Iron and steel have had
an unsatisfactory demand and prices Of
billets and southern pig IRE shaded. There
are also reductions in quotations for cot
ton, print cloths. petroleum. hides. and for
wheat, Indian corn and oats. Mercantile
collections are generally unsatisfactory,
notably in Chicago, where there are more
complaints than for a year past"