Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-12-28
WHOLESALE BUSINESS KEEPING UP.
Unexpected Increase In the Demand
for Products In Many Important
Drnnches-Foreign Trade Con.
tinues Satisfactory.
New York, Dec. 25.-R. G. Dun & Co.,
in their weekly review of trade, say,

in their weekly review Of trade, say,
THE weekly reports show a remarkably
large holiday trade at many points, the larg-
est for five years. Moreover, at the season
when wholesale business usually shrinks,
the pressure of demands for immediate dc.
nveries. which results from unprecedented
distribution to consumers. keeps many es-
adjustments at work that usually begin
their yearly rest spell somewhat earlier.
Instead of decreasing. the demand for prod
ucts shows an unexpected increase in sew
eral important branches. Foreign trade
continues satisfactory. even in comparl-
son with the remarkable record Of year
ago. when exports exceeded $1l7,000000 In
December. Bank failures at Philadelphia
due to individual OF erations. cause no dis
turbance. and commercial failures for the
month have been less than half last years
to the same date.
The Grain Movement.
THE outgoing flood of grain is not
checked by Chicago speculation, though
more corn than wheat has been moving,
Last years corn movement was by far the
greatest ever known. and this years wheat
movement for the half year nearly ended
has been close to the maximum reached In
1881. Wheat has varied little, closing 8
cents higher for the week, after deliveries
of surprising magnitude at Chicago, and
corn closes nearly cent higher. Cotton
has also been moving largely and has risen
a sixteenth.
The Cotton Industry,
Cotton goods have further declined in
prices Of bleached which meet active south.
ern competition. and the Fall River spin
ners Insist upon reduction Of one-ninth
in wages. other New England mills Join
ing. Out Of 101 New England works. "A
have passed dividends, IA at Fall River.
with 10 others paying per cent. for the
last quarter. The fall In the price of cot.
Ian rry1Ny l.
OF goods placed this industry in most en-
barrassing position.
WOODEN mills have begun buying do.
nestle wool heavily, especially in Mon.
tana, as If assured of large busi-
ness for the season about to open Con-
tracts OF unknown magnitude have been
made, 1t Is said. many at previous prices.
but others at moderate advance.
Demand for New Cars,
There is stronger demand for iron and
Its products. Bessemer rising to SO and
| gray forge to 50 at Pittsburgh, and the
Eastern Bar association has advanced the
price to IL cents for refined and 1.021t
for common. Owing to possible changea
In freight rates southern pig is offered q
cents lower. A striking feature Is the un-
| usual demand for the season In buildinl
| cars. of which 1000 have been ordered al
| Chicago by one trunk line. and rails there
have advanced to $50 In new business, with
sales there OF 5000 tons for home use and
| 2,OOO for Mexico. Building contracts In un.
| usual number for the season come up also
| contracts for three drainage canals ri
| Chicago. The Illinois steel works have
| eight months business booked, with more
| orders offering.
Failures for the week have been ~
In the United States. against 2S7 last year
and SO in Canada, against "A last year,
Bradstreet's Review.
Bradstreet's says:
"Quietness in wholesale lines. but pro
nounced and notable activity in retail trad,
/ have been the salient features in thi,
weeks trade situation. Price changes
| which are numerous. are largely in an up
| ward direction. and the year draws to {
close with results as q whole fully equalins
| and in many instances surpa ssing early ex
! pectations. Perhaps the most notable TEA
4 ture has been the unanimity with which
the trade reports from all parts Of tn,
country, with few exceptions, point to !
very heavy holiday trade, In nearly al
cases comparing favorably with recent pre-
ceding years. Reports are that stocks o
these goods have been heavily reduced
Particularly prominent in reporting goot
retail trade in the west are Chicago, st
. Louis and Kansas City. AT the south New
Orleans reports retailers reaping a harves
4 and December trade larger than usual
4 Similarly good reports come from Nash
4 Vile, Savannah and Memphis, but collec
lions and business would be larger were
not for the low price Of cotton. In tn
northwest colder weather has improved tn
+ demand for seasonable goods. and this
combined with the usual holiday business
has resulted in a good total trade. wit
specially good reports from Milwaukee,, 81
/ Paul and Omaha. At the east seasonabl
conditions prevail. wholesale trade beinl
quiet and holiday business active. No i'm
provement Is noted in the cotton goods sit
uation and wage reductions seem immi
nent. Good business has been done In boot
and shoes and shipments are far ahead o
last year. Pacific coast retail trade 10 &C
tive, and Klondike boomers are gather
ing in the cities of Washington and Ore
|