Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-03-02
FEELING ITS WAY.
Trade Shows Gradual But En-
couraging Improvement.
MODERATE GROWTH IN MOST LINES.
Thousands Given Employment by the
Steady Gain in Many Industries
Strong Hope of Prosperity Felt
70. the Future.

New York, Feb. 27.-R. G. Dun & Co.,
in their weekly review Of trade, say:
Genuine Improvement in business does
not come with rush, like the breaking OF
a great dam. The growth for some weeks
past has been more encouraging, because
in nearly all lines 1t has been gradual and
moderate. The rupture Of the steel rail
and other combinations in the iron busi-
ness has brought out vast quantity OF
trade which has been held back and has
set many thousand men at work. while the
slow but steady gain in other great in
dustries has given employment to many
thousand more, but the full effects Will
not appear until the increased purchases
by all these swell the distribution of goods.
This comes more slowly and later, but Is
already apparent. Certainty regarding the
future will help it nightly and is by null
titudes expected with strong hope. Mean
while it is substantial ground for conf
dence that months which were regarded
by many in the money market with seri-
ous apprehension have passed without dis
turbance and with steady gain in the po-
sition of the country and Of the treas
ury.
ut is not to be expected that the excess
Of exports over imports Will continue as
large in January as 1t had been in pre-
vious months. and yet 1t was surprisingly
large. The February returns have natu-
rally been less favorable, as cotton exports
fall off at this season, and yet the decrease
compared with last year is trifing. while
the increase In imports, to be expected at
this season, has amounted during the past
three weeks to only $629,040, compared with
last year, or about per cent. Nothing in
the state of foreign exchange indicates
that the heavy credits in favor of this
country have been liquidated or serious
ly diminished.
Nothing is yet settled about the price
nf 1oL NV hn Inc InN,t
some expect for Mesaba the price of 1885,
while others expect a lower price, either
being at least 20 per cent. lower than the
price of last year. The rapid increase in
coke output in the Connellsville region,
which is now over 100000 TONS gives pros
pect Of moderate cost for fuel. and the adj
dition Of important furnaces to the pro-
ducing capacity prevents large rise in
Bessemer pig, which has nevertheless ad-
vanced 10 cents at Pittsburgh with increas-
ing demand. Purchases Of rails. estimated
at 1000, 900 tons within two weeks, where
as the production last year was 1,102, 500
tons, and the sales said to be only 500 900,
insure employment for the works far
ahead, and eastern works are taking de-
sirable contracts at SIS per ton.
with less rapidity. but yet steadily,
other industries are gaining. Although
lower and print cloths q sixteenth lower,
1t is found that several cotton mills are
started, not covered by the restriction as
to print cloth works, which is carried out.
Increasing demand has also started quite
a number of wooden mills. including many
making dress goods and hosiery. The de-
mand for mems woolens Is also somewhat
better, especially for heavy weights, and
there are improving sales of better quail
ties.
I'm boots and shoes also, growing belief
that prices will not give way, has started
many shops, although many jobbers still
shrink from the prices asked.
Wheat enjoyed brief rise, then dropped
over cents. and closed 2ss lower for the
week. While western receipts are 40 per
cent. smaller than last year, for the past
four weeks, Atlantic exports, flour included,
in the same weeks have been 6. SAC, AIS bush
exports of corn have been 8,435,552 BUSH
els, against 4,1952S2 bushels last year. The
increase in corn more than makes I'D in
foreign consumption for the decrease in
wheat. Cotton rose SIG, though without
material change in movement.
Stocks have not been demoralized, as
some expected, in view of Investigations,
but closed at IS cents higher for trusts
and "a points for railroads. Railroad earn
SIS per cent. larger than last year, but
s.S per cent smaller than In 1892 Chi
cago east-bound tonnage in three weeks
of February has been 265,520, against 2OS,-
$40 last year. and 220,311 in 1893 Exchanges
through principal clearing houses have ay-
eraged for February 7.6 per cent less
than last year, but these returns by no
means fairly represent the volume of new
business. Failures for the week have been
2sG In the United States. against 27s last
year, and 80 in Canada, against IS last
year"