Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-02-08
STATE OF TRADE.
Review of the business situation By
Dradstreet and Dun,
New York. Feb. 5.-Bradstreet's saw

New York, Feb. 5.--BradStreetS saws:
Severely cold weather, accompanied by
high winds and heavy snow. has been
feature exercising considerable influence
upon the movement and distribution of
| staple goods this week. The northern and
eastern states appear to have felt the eff
fects of the storm most severely. In spite
of this interruption of business, satisfac-
tory trade for the season is reported in
most lines, with special activity reported
In the iron and steel trades and kindred
lines. In the east the distribution of dry
goods and wool has been checked, and the
movement of produce greatly interfered
with but the tone of the cotton goods stu
alton Is, If anything. improved. In the
middle states and In the central west the
movement of iron into consumption is still
very large, but nervousness as to possible
over-production affects that market. Steel
Is slightly lower at the east, but firmly
held at Chicago, which also reports adj
vances In iron bars, wires and nails. West
ern mills Will not agree to deliver steel rails,
billets. or rods on new orders before July
!. Southern buyers are coming into ST.
Louis more numerously than usual at this
date. and the distribution of dry goods,
boots and shoes and drugs is active. In
the northeast better trade is reported, and
cold weather has helped the distribution of
seasonable goods. AT the south trade Is
reported improved at several important
is said to be above the average. Alaskan
business on the Pacific coast is still very
active but export trade in cereals is
small Rain is needed in California or
crops will be considerably shortened.
Steadiness in prices has been feature of
the week. the only decreases noted being
in wheat, corn, and flour on a speculative
action. and In lead, while the prices Of
OATS pork. beef and coffee are higher.
r.. e. Dun & Co., in their weekly re-
view of trade, say:
Actual payments through clearing
houses in January made a remarkable
showing, being much larger than in any
previous month. 1858 per cent. larger than
the same month last year and IL per cent.
larger than In 1892. The failures In jan
uary were smaller than in any previous
year of which there is record and were
probably smaller than in any other jan
| uary since 1881. The statement by branches
of business shows a surprising gain in
most departments of manufacture and
trade. Meanwhile the money market is
as confident as ever; gold does not come
from Europe in large amount only be-
cause bankers find it worth while to lend
American money abroad and the CONNER
c!al balances are heavily in favor of the
United States as heretofore.
"Perhaps the most striking feature of
the week has been the decline in wheat
177O,54G last year, flour included, from At
lantic ports, and 776.s40 from Pacific ports,
against Sl4,S4s bushels last year. the tenn
per of the market has been weaker.
THE outgo OF corn continues heavy. The
iron and steel manufacture is steadily gain
ing in consumption of pig iron, although
the production of the material is still in ex-
cess of immediate demands, but not enough
to cause decline in prices in Pittsburgh
or Chicago. Even the southern producers
are able to get fair price at Chicago and
atthe east, and anthracite pig is unchanged.
The demand for finished products has been
very heavy, and includes for structural
work 5000 tons for the state capitol build
ing in Pennsylvania 1000 tons for the
courthouse at Denver. 5000 tons for efe-
waited railways at Chicago, and numerous
small buildings in various parts of the
country, The demand for car building has
been very heavy, both at the east and west,
and the plate demand greatly increased at
the east on account of orders from ship
yards.
Failures for the week were 1886 in the
United States. against 311 last year, and
SO in Canada. against 63 last year"