Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-09-01
The WORLD OF TRADE.
Conditions as Viewed by Leading
Commercial Agencies-Gain
in Bank Clearings.
BUSINESS OF CONSUMERS IS BOOMING.
Demand in Articles for Actual Use
Away beyond Anticipation in
Many Lines-shipments Greater
Than in any Previous Year-The
Cereal and Other Markets.

New York, Aug. 2S.-R. G. Dun & Co.'s
weekly review of trade says: Nothing Is
more eloquent than the facts. Actual pay
ments through the principal clearing houses
for the week were 231 per cent. larger than
last year, and 562 per cent. larger than in
the same week In 1892 For the month thus
far the daily average of payments has
been 26.3 per cent. larger than last year ana
$50 per cent larger than in 1892. Tonnage
from Chicago in three weeks has been SUI
per cent. larger than last year and 74.6 per
cent. larger than in 1892 1t will not be
suggested by anyone that such an aston
ishing increase over the most prosperous OF
all past years except the last was expected
Most people really regarded last years eX-
panson as something like freak. Nor is
the difference in amount of payments main-
ly due to rise in prices for prices of several
hundred articles range lower now on the
whole than in August, 1892.
ut is a consumers business. also. Per-
haps never before have demands for actual
use controlled business and price with so
little speculation to anticipate higher mar
kets. In fact. the rise in most articles has
gone farther than speculative opinions
have warranted. 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 Pittsburgh are sold up
far into 1900. and can do nothing, though
prices mucH DeyOHu what luey TeCelNSo
are paid by those who must have iron this
year The enormous demand for more rail
roads, and rails and cars more vessels,
warehouses and buildings, to handle the
extraordinary business in progress cannot
be met as quickly as men would like, and
work of all sorts is delayed, from the big.
geSt war vessel to the smallest factory.
Boot and shoe business is likewise crowd.
ed, not so far ahead of production, but far
Their than many producers like, by the clam
orous demand of jobbers who cannot keep
UP with retail distribution. Prices have
risen quite generally 2k cents per pair, but
the only shrinkage In orders as the season
wanes is welcome to producers already
committed far ahead Shipments in three
weeks have been Is per cent. greater than
in any previous year. and Is per cent. great
err than in 1892.
Reports of injury to wheat in the north.
west have likewise affected the market
but only for a day or two, the price closing
&c lower for the week
Failures for the week have been 1863 In
the United States against 179 last year. and
l6 In Canada. against 26 last year"
As Seen by Bradstreet.
Bradstreet says: Strength in prices and
steadiness of demand are still the sail.
ent features of the trade situation. Iron
steel and other metals, most of the cereals
leather and cotton goods, manifest upward
leuuehClSs DIS " pllCeS. Oliel staples
with the exception of sugar and anthracite
coal. retain all their old firmness Fail
demand is expanding at most markets, par
ticularly good reports being received from
the northwest and that portion of the corn
growing country which this year seems like
ly to be notable for surplus production.
Among the cereals wheat has beer
quite firm all the week, partly owing to g
whiting down of northwestern estimates
but also due to steady demand fo
the cash article. alike on foreign
and domestic account The relative
scarcity of cash corn is respon
sible for the advance shown this week IL
the face of a concededly large production
Conditions of supply and demand seen
to be at the bottom of the recent rise II
beef prices. This rise has attracted In
creased receipts of grass-fed cattle. ant
some shading of quotations is noted, bu
Chicago prices have only been equaled f1vt
times in % years There are nearly 0,0O0, 00
less beef cattle in the country than there
were seven years ago. and in fact there art
fewer cattle in the country now than in any
alnca 1899 rs