Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-08-29
The week's Bank Clearings
Are Larger Than Those Of
Any Previous Year.
INDEX OF PROSPERITY.
Next Years Output In Many Lines ia
Already Sold : sales OF Wool Are
Nothing short Of Enormous
Bradstrect's and Dunn's.

more eloquent than the facts. Actual
payments through the principal clear
lighthouses for the week were 22.1 per
cent larger than last year and 52.2 per
cent larger than in the same week in
1892. For the month thus far the daily
average of payments has been 1868 per
cent larger than last year and Sc per
cent larger than in 1892. Tonnage
from Chicago in three weeks has been
SO.7 per cent larger than last year,
and 74.6 per cent larger than in 1892.
1T will not be suggested by any
body that such an astonishing increase
over the most prosperous Of all past
years except the last was expected.
Most people really regarded last years
expansion as something like freak.
Nor is the difference in amount of pay
men.s mainly due to rise in prices, for
prices of several hundred articles ac-
,tually range lower now on the whole
than in August, 1892.
Nexe Years Output Sold.
ut is a consumers business also.
Perhaps never before have demands
for actual use controlled business and
prices with SO little speculation to an
ticipate higher markets. In fact, the
rise in NEST articles has gone further
than speculative symptoms have war
ranted."
Artn pn1 sta, TOY
garding the remarkably prosperous
United States, Il. G. Dunn & Co.'S Week
ly Review of Trade, issued today, con-
tinues:
practically all industries are, some
months behind the requirements for
actual use, and in many much of the
output next year is already sold. Iron
works which supply Pit.sburg are sold
up far into 1900, and can do nothing.
though prices much beyond what they
received are paid by those who must
have iron this year. The enormous
demands for more railroad and rails
and cars, more vessels warehouses and
buildings. to handle the extraordinary
business in progress c.nriot be met as
quickly as men would like, and work
of ali sorts is delayed from the big
gest war Vessel to the smallest fac
tory.
1.-THE boot and shoe business is like
wise crowded, not so far ahead OF pro-
duction, but further than many pro-
ducers like. by the clamorous demand
of iobbers, who cannot keep up with
retail distribution. Prices have risen
quite generally ~, cents per pair, but
the only shrinkage in orders as the
season Wanes is welcome to producers
already committed far ahead. Ship
ments in three weeks have been 10 per
cent greater than in any previous year,
and % per cent greater than in 1892.
Leather rises further, especially for
upper, with demand beyond precedent,
and large producers sold four months
ahead. and hides at Chicago are also
stronger, with heavy sales ahead OF
curing.
Enormous Sales of Wool.
Cotton goods also have further adj
vanced in lines not affected by propos-
ed consolidation, and the demand for
woollen goods has gone beyond all eX-
pectations. The sales of wool are
enormous-35,677,19 100 pounds in four
weeks. 3O.1i9,49O being domestic-with
prices generally unchanged, though
concessions are now made to secure
sales in some lines.
Sharp fluctuations in cotton show
how fears of injury by drought i'll
| Texas and elsewhere would affect the
market if there We're not on hand abou,
| 3,000.0G0 bales OF old cottoG, including
100000 in European and PROBABLY $780,
600 in American mills. Consumption is
enormous, but it cannot. exhaust such
supplies soon.
Reports of injury to wheat in the
northwest have likewise affected the
market, but only for a day or two. the
price closing. q cents lower for the
week. Western receipts no longer keep
up with the extraordinary movemen,
of year ago, falling 100000 bushels
behind for the week, but for four weeks
have been 15,367,414 bushels. against
14.354,621 last year. Atlantic exports
were slightly larger than last year. and
| in four weeks 11,421,322 bushels, -four
included, against 11,737.2S5 last year
while Pacific exports have been $4,000
| for the week, and in four weeks 1855
353, against 1,353,794 bushels last year
Corn exports continue heavy--in foul
weeks 16,725,524 bushels against a.
3lS.113 FOR the same weeks last year
and rose Ii per cent during the week
Failures for the week have been 16a
in the United States, against 179 las,
year. and sixteen in Canada. against