Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-06-04
in THE DARK.
Dun Says Merchants Don't Real
ize How Trade Improves.
SHOWS A SLOW BUT STEADY GAIN.
Comparison of Volume of business
with Prosperous Years Not Dis
cOuraEing-Brndstr Declares
Spring Trade disappointing.
New York, May eo.-R. G. Dun & Co.,


in their weekly review of trade, say:
People are actually doing more business
than they realize. They reckon by values,
but these are much lower than in any pre-
vious year of prosperity, and leave little
margin for profits. In quantity, there is
almost as much business being done as in
the years of greatest prosperity, and
though the increase in population would
call for material expansion, the compari-
son is not discouraging. The recovery Is
slow, hesitating and gradual but more
has been done on the whole In May than
IN April, while returns of April showed
the volume of business only ten per cent
smaller than that of the best year hereto
fore: Yet hesitation is doing it's work
every week, and multitudes are waiting be-
cause of possibilities at Washington, who
ought to be filing the demand for labor and
the products of labor.
Grain Expectations.
Events have proved that the crop of
wheat going out is much larger than any
of the markets expected, and western re-
ceipts for the week were 80 per cent larger
than last year. while Atlantic exports have
been for four weeks 6,315,329 bushels, flour
included, against 4,9SS777 last year. At
this season actual receipts count rather
than predictions, and the truth is that the
country has exported an extraordinary
quantity of wheat and flour, and yet has
so much to spare that the May option has
declined nearly a cent for the week. Be-
sides the outgo of corn largely taking the
place of wheat in foreign consumption is
far beyond precedent or expectation and
for four weeks has been 9,36O,O91. against
6.001.9S5 last year. With liberal interior
supplies the price has declined a fraction.
Cotton is unchanged, although at this sea-
son exports were insignificant.
Cotton Industry Waiting.
Manufacturers have especial causes of
dal fn fhn 10 m
with foreign goods largely imported, but
| there has been no setback in prices, al
| though cotton goods are dull without large
| demand. and print cloths are at the bot
| tom price. 1t is evident that production
| far beyond the consuming demand has
| forced the industry into waiting attitude.
Distribution of all dry goods is at present
retarded, also, by cooler weather than is
| usual at this season. The wooden mills are
| producing more than they have done for
| years, though much less than they could
| or would like to produce, and manufac-
| turers doing almost nothing in the
| wool market
| Gnin In Iron.
| THE iron manufacture gains in spite OF
| the closing of some furnaces. The produc-
| ton of pig exceeds consumption, and Is
| somewhat decreasing while the consump-
| tion has gradually gained, this week, in
| part because of several structural con-
tracts, including 1900 tons for this city
| alone, and in part because the agricul-
| tural implements works have made larger
| demands, and also because of the proposed
| leasing of nearly all the rod mills In the
| country. which has caused some buying.
| Failures for the week have been PA in
| the United States, the smallest in any week
| since September, 1885, against 239 last year
and % in Canada, against 20 last year"
Hratlstrect's View.
Bradstreet's says:
Results of the spring trade in staples,
| which is now over, are disappointing. The
! volume of seasonable merchandise distrib.
| uted is less than expected, without taking
into account an Improvement In business
compared with year ago. Nearly al
| central western and southern trade centers
| report business very quiet Dry goods
| continue depressed, cotton products sell.
ing with difficulty some varieties only or
| concessions. The announcement of re-
| duced or passed cotton mill dividends and
| that several large establishments will shut
down to enable consumption to overtake
production, when coupled with the com.
parative Indifference of consumers to the
| lowest prices on record for iron and steel
would appear to sufficiently characteriz.
the actual condition of general trade
The more favorable features are relative
activity among WOODEN goods manufacture
ers who are working on old orders; i'm
proved demand for shoes and leather: g
on the general demand at Savannah, Mem
phis, st. Louis, Omaha, Sioux Falls, Min
neapolis and st. Paul. the better demanc
for lumber at the west, and in the trade
outlook in Louisiana, Mississippi and Ar
| kansas. Increased exports are reported
from Pacific coast ports, but there is com
paratively little gain in domestic trade
here, except in cattle. wool and hardware
at Portland.
Among 20 of the more important stapl
products only two-hides and wheat-hav,
advanced. while one-half the number
cotton, lumber, coal, Bessemer pig iron
steel billets, steel rails, print cloths, sugar
pork and coffee-are unchanged, although
there is a nominal advance in the asking
price for Bessemer pig and steel billets
Now that wool manufacturers have stool
up. wool Is off, as are cotton goods whel
sold in quantity; rosin is lower, and among
cereals. flour, Indian corn and oats. t
which may be added lard and petroleum.