Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-11-23
ENLlvEns TRADE.
Approach of Thanksgiving and other
Holidays Helps Business.

Holidays Helps Business.
New York, Nov. 20.-R. G. Dun &
Co., in their weekly review OF trade,
say:
"All markets and all Industries are work.
ing towards te period of Thanksgiving, of
stock taking and of holidays. Colder
weather has done much to accelerate retail
trade, so greatly delayed in many lines by
unusually mild and open weather The
production increases on the whole, and
many manufacturers are unable to take all
the offers, while others are committed as
far ahead as they are willing to CO. The
output in several great industries is con-
siderably the largest ever known, and the
confidence of great business next year Is
unabated. Hesitation in speculative mar
kets is In part because an immense cap
ital has been turned from them to invest
ment in productive industries.
wheat has advanced cent during the
week, and small fluctuations have been due
to reports about Argentina rather than to
the heaviest exports ever known. Atlantic
exports, flour included, have been in three
weeks of November, 9,797369 bushels,
against 6,O52.1o6 last year, and in the crop
year thus far over S6.O0O,000 bushels. Corn
exports have been 7,0l0,014 bushels, against
6441, 66S last year.
Iron products have changed but slightly
In price, with wire nails and rods shade
lower, and while the consumption Of pig Is
the largest ever known, works In some
branches are receiving orders equal to their
output, while others have orders so far
ahead that they are unable or unwilling to
take more. There is less activity In bars
at the east, but healthy demand at the
west for manufacturing, car building and
other uses, and rails are in larger demand
there while some eastern works have re-
Gently taken orders for months ahead.
lset iS q
the delay of winter weather, which retards
orders from clothiers, although most works
have enough for some time ahead, and
while cold weather and active retail trade
would quickly bring change, prices OF
wool are so high that some mills have
stopped part of their looms. Cases are men,
toned of mills which could realize profit
of 100000 to 100000 by selling the wool
they hold but can expect none at manufac-
turing at current prices.
"Faiiures for the week have been 267 In
the United States, against 1884 last year. and
SO in Canada against 40 last year."
Bludstreet's says:
.'There is a moderate Improvement ir
staple prices and in distribution of wooden
goods, shoes, hats and hardware in the
region tributary to Chicago, st. Louis, Kan.
sas City and Omaha. In South Carolina
| Tennessee and Louisiana jobbers report q
moderate revival In demand from interior
I merchants, Whlcn represents some OF tnf
| business delayed by yellow fever quaran-
| tines. Trade reports from Georgia an6
| Texas are quite irregular. Some cottor
| planters are compelled to sell cotton at 6
| loss to meet advances made earlier in the
season, and have little or no surplus will
which to buy merchandise. Others, notably
! in Texas, contrive to hold cotton, which de
| lays mercantile collections and in som,
sections has an unfavorable influence
| Colder weather northeast and in the centra
| Mississippi and Missouri river valleys hav,
/ helped retail trading. Manufacturers o
| iron, steel, agricultural implements, rail
way cars and woolens report an active de
mand and large output, although the ap
| pearance of speculative steel has resulte,
1 in weakening the price of billets and Xix
tendency CT the part of Bessemer pig iron
| Higher prices are recorded for wheat
corn, oats sirup, hides, leather, shoes an
! for turpentine. The reaction in iron an
steel is likely to be followed by an advanc
| If the present rate of consumption con
/ tinues. Lower prices for wheat, flour an
pork are expected to recognize the advance
on wheat and Indian corn, so that a lowe
price for copper is practically the only i'm
| portant decline in the week."