The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1900-12-14
TRADE REPORT.

Bradstreets report for last week is
as follows:
There was a quieter tone and re-
duced volume of business doing at
wholesale in many lines, but this is not
usual at this season, and is partly bal
anced by larger interest in retail and
holiday distribution. Weather condi-
lions are still a drawback to the trade
in winter weight goods, but it is nota-
BILE that better report comes from the
northwest than for some weeks past.
Southern trade advices remain good,
but retail business at eastern markets
is still reported backward. In the
larger lines of trade new features are
not numerous. Textiles are quiet and
rather dull, with a general suspension,
awaiting the opening of the spring sea-
son. Wool and woolens are still quiet.
Cotton is irregular, and the market is
at balance pending the publication of
the next government crop report,
which, however is expected to approx
innate 9,750,000 bales. The high cost of
raw cotton has not yet been equaled by
the advance in manufactured goods.
A hopeful feature this week was the
taking Of a large lot of brown cottons
for export for China The higher trend
Of values in November has been dupli-
Gated in the first week in December
and cereals, long backward in this res
pect, have led the advance, which, how
ever, has not been steadily maintained.
Finished products monopolize the
activity in the iron and steel trades,
with bars, plates, sheets and bridge
material most active. Even in finished
lines however, there is less reported
doing in new business, but Pittsburg
ahead 60 to 80 days. At Chicago plates
are scarce and premium is offered
for early deliveries of galvanized and
black sheets. The rail market is ac-
tive and $4,000 tons were sold at Chi
cago this week, while the total amount
on the rail mill books is claimed to
aggregate 100000 tons. While good
sales of pig are reported at some mar
kets, business as a whole in this line
is quieter, without, however, any lack
of tirmness. Much is heard about forth
coming reductions in cost of ore and
this undoubtedly checks orders ahead,
but higher prices for finished are talk
ed of and southern furnaces are re-
ported heavily sold ahead. There is
little or nothing doing in Bessemer pig
and billets. Among the other metals
copper is active and firm, but tin is
weaker. The shoe trade is cheerful
and eastern manufacturers report job
bers steady buyers at the slight ad-
vance made some weeks ago. Snow
and wet weather are helping retail
trade in shoes and rubbers in northern
markets. A better report comes from
the flour milling industry, but the de-
mand is hardly what was expected.
Sugar is higher for raws, but the re-
fining branch presents the old appear
ance of irregularity, and another price
war is foreshadowed.
Wheat (including flour) shipments
for the week aggregate 3,432,159 bush
els, against 3,497, $3.50 bushels last week
and 5,133,331 bushels in the CORES
ponding week of 1899. From July l to
date this season whea' exports are
1921, 426 bushels against 94,S01, 273
bushels last season.
Failures for the week number PA,
against 1874 last week, 22O in this week
a year ago and 237 in 1898.
Canadian failures number 81, as
against 20 last week, 81 in this week a
year ago and 20 in 1898.