Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-12-06
4 YEAR Of PROSPERITY.
Evident That Volume of Business
Has Heavily Exceeded That
of Former Years.
will FORM NEW BASIS OF COMPARISON
Report of Failures for the Month OF
November Is Extremely Gratifying
as 1t Shows n Decrease In Numbers
and a Smaller Amount of Liabili-
ties Than Almost Ever Before.

New York, Dec. g. In the weekly re-
view of trade Bradstreet's says:
''The business world enters on the last
month of the year with so many favorable
and so few depressing features In sig as
to leave little doubt that the year 1898 as
whole must hereafter furnish the basis for
estimate when comparisons of larga busl-
ness are to be made. Nearly all obtainah|e
statistics and reports as TO the volume of
business point 10 the present year having
heavily exceeded any former year III the
amount of business done, and. though COM
PARSONS as regards prices are not SO .avor-
able as In earlier years. notably 1892 and
1886. when quotations of most staples were
considerably higher, still the expansion in
trade. due to increased population and en-
larged foreign demand for our products,
has resulted in an aggregate volume OF
business done considerably In excess OF any
former year.
Heavy Order for steel Rails.
''In the general business world the lead
ing event of the week has undoubtedly been
the placing of very large orders. estimated
at between 100000 and 100000 tons of steel
rails more than one-quarter of the entire
country's annual production at prices
which, II not entirely satisfactory to the
competing rail mills. are encouraging. be-
cause they indicate that no check caused
by combination OF interests will be adj
ministered to our growing export trade.
which business. coupled with the possible
demand next year for structural steel for
building purposes, Is likely to play most
important part in the government Of prices
OF steel products generally. Nominal prices
of steel rails show little change from those
ruling some time ago, but quotations for
Bessemer iron and steel billets reflect the
stimulating influence of the removal on the
uncertainty regarding the placing Of this
large volume Of rail business.
Foreign demand for our food products
has continued an encouraging feature OF
the cereal situation and wheat prices par
ticularly are a little lower on the week.
Notwithstanding very heavy farmers de-
liveries and increasing domestic stocks.
Exports this week are the largest ever re-
ported, rejecting partly Undertaking. OF
early reported business and partly In
creased foreign buying at concessions car
uer in the week. Corn and oats appear to
wheat and arc higher on the week on Inn
proved speculative buying and enlarged
export trade.
1.-THE boot and shoe situation has beer Inn
proved by tho severe weather lately ex-
perienced, as has the outlook for rubber
higher, an unusual feature at this tirne Of
year. The recent advance in raw sugar ap-
pears to have eliminated this week and a
slight reaction on reports that beet sugar
imports from EUROPE are likely to heavily
increase.
The Lumber Market.
1.-THE advent Of winter weather has ten
ded to reduce the demand for building
lumber which. in some markets. partiou-
larly the east. was depressed during the
summer because OF the inactivity in build
Ing. A rather better tone IL. however. now
reported and the opening Of the new ysal
10 awaited with confidence. Recent ad-
vanees IN prices Of pine ana spruce lumbe,
are well MAINTAINED, stocks In dealer'i
hands are not at all heavy and advances
both from the yellow pine and cypress
producing sections OF the south and the
white pine markets Of the north and north.
west are that heavy output has been. 81
Q rule. satisfactorily handled. The hard.
wood situation maintains all Of the
strength previously noted The domestic
wood working demand 10 Of good vol.
ume. while export business IL steadily in.
creasiny ana prices a. whole are con.
siderably higher than they were ct thu
opening Of the year.
THE general Jobbing trade has bsen
rather smaller than usual at this time Of
year and severe storms In the east have
hurt distribution. but the demand for holi,
day goods 10 Of an encouraging volume and
promises we'll.