The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-10
RETAIL TRADE IS GOOD
Holiday Business Bids Fair to
Mark the Record.
STEADY PRICES A FEATURE
Stock and Bond Market Active
and Broadening.
STEADY PRICES A FEATURE

New York, Dec. Establishments tomor-
row viii say: Business conditions continue
Of a most encouraging character. A very
satisfactory feature, and one full OF en-
enlargement to all wholesale lines OF
trade. is the activity shown in retail trade
in nearly all markets. Reports received
as to che holiday trade proper, too. point
to the present year constituting a record
maker in This respect. The Importance
of the early arrival Of real winter weather
to the retail distribution Of heavy cloth
ing and similar seasona.ble goods can
hardly be over estimated. In the wider
domain OF general trade and industry
perhaps the most notable featurt has been
the continued activity az advancing prices
shown for most classes of iron and steel.
but particularly pig iron and steel billets..
So pronounced has this demand become
since the placing Of the first large rail
orders that what is ordinarily regarded
as a dull period in this industry has given
place 10 exceptional activity and the slim
ulating effect already impaired 10 values
seems likely 10 De added to. rather than
diminished. 50 far as the outlook for the
coming year can at present be foreshsd-
owed. Features OF the week have been
irnense sales Of Bessemer pig iron, large
sales Of steel billets and heavy orders for
ship plates, the latter at western points.
Car builders. TOO, have placed large Or
ders, impelled thereto by the enlarged de-
M THAR
present facilities for handling goods over
taxed Export trade continues encouras-
ing, and OF favorable nature in this re-
spect is the weakening in freights report
ed toward the close OF the week. Inreased
supplits, consequent upon the heaviest
movement from farmers hands ever
known, have constituted bearish feat
ure in what prices this week, notwith-
standing continued heavy shipments
abroad, and the ooarser grains have SYM
pathized with this important cereal. Ac-
tivity IN the lumber trade has been a
feature calling for comment in many mar
kets the placing of large government or
ders for yellow pine lumber, most Of
which Is for export to Cuba, having in
sured plenty of work for a number OF
southern mills until FAR in the new year
From other branches of the trade reports
are Of sustained demand OF proportions
sufficient TO take care of seasonably small
receipts and retain prior firmness. Cot
ton is again higher. partly owing 10 small
er estimates becoming fashionable. this
feeling being reflected in improved de-
mand at many markets. Cotton goods,
90, are firmer. This is in part due TO the
sympathy with the raw product. while
the advance in print cloths is attributed
to the successful disposal OF the large
surplus which fe wweeks ago hung over
the entire market Rather more is doing
in raw wool at slightly lower quotations,
but reports from the goods TRADE show
little Improvement
Wheat Gncluding four shipments for
the week aggregate 6.75s. 952 bushels, as
against Z4S3 $50 bushels last week. e.26S, 159
bushels in the corresponding week of 1897
4222. IA bushels in 1895; 2,45s, 323 bushels in
1895. and 2.526 go bushels in 1894. Since
July l. this year. the exports of wheat
aggregate 102. 9s7,O9 bushels. against IA
204 SOS bushels lest year.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
Ass, 535 bushels. against Assess bushels
last week, 3,125.554 bushels in the week
year ago: 3.541, 2SS bushels in 1895; 2.591.1s4
bushels in 1895 and 292. 277 bushels in 1894
Since July this year, corn exports az
gregate So 026 SOS bushels. against s., 81. 555
bushels during the same period year
ago.
Steadiness Of prices has been feature
of business this fall, though the natural
drift Of values has been toward a higher
level. OF IO7 staples ~. or little less than
one-half. are unchanged. as the result Of
the months work. while % staples ad-
vanced. and only % declined. while as
compared with December a year ago, 81
staples are higher, q are lower and Il are
unchanged.
Business failures IN the United States
this week are 227. as against 271 last week.
- in this week year ago. ISL in 1875. 81
in 1895.
Business failures in Canada for the
week number % as compared with 3
last week. % in the week a year ago. SO
in 1895 and "a in 1894.
BRADSI fth.r.r'S FINANCIAL REVIEW
New York. Dec. 9.-Bradstreet's fnan-
cial review tomorrow Will say: Transac-
tons in both stocks and bonds this week
have been active and the market shows
a broadening tendency. Influenced by in
vestment purchasing prices in the bond
hist have advanced. while dividend-payins
stocks. or those which are expected 10
take that position. are also being absorb
81 TO some extent by permanent holders
Public and foreign partic. patton on the
buI side renders the markee. as whole.
less susceptible to professional uanipUla-
ton: but IN spite Of its generally strong
tone. the movement Of stock prices dur
ing the week leaves the impression OF IT.
regularity. The securities which ordinar-
lily lead the market are less prominent.
and most 81 the features were supplied
by speci2lueS and stocks which have held
subordinate position The speculative
uniertone has been very strong, however.
and any slight depressions seem % de-
velop renewed buying power. London
shows Increasing favor for American
stocks, and Is purchasing has been sug-
oiently steady 20 give material aid - The
bun side Time ease Of the money mar
ket here facilitates buying by the public.
although the fact that stocks are beng
carried 20 an unusual extent on call loans
does not escape attention L might D.