The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-02-01
A QUIET FEELING.
1t Is Displayed in Most Lines of Trade
Some of the Reasons Are
Given.

New York, Jan. N.-R, G.. Dun &c Co.'s
weekly review of trade says: mo news Is
not always good news. New business for
manufacturers this year has been light
in some branches and much below the pro-
duction last month. 1t Is perhaps too often
forgotten that industries start this year
with larger contracts ahead than ever be-
fore and when half the work of the whole
year has been ordered in advance there
cannot continue quite the same activity in
new buying. The wooden manufacturer has
just opened a new season with the largest
transactions ever known in a single week,
II Is said, but in most other lines contracts
previously booked would make similar &C.
tivity impossible. Yet there is seen enough
Of hesitation caused by advanced prices
to make inactivity trying. Distribution to
consumers throughout the country is rapid
and large, especially In quarters where 1t
has been feared retailers were over
buying, so that there is strong confidence in
the future.
ceiving small orders, as jobbers pay the
prices asked only for such limited supplies
as are needed for sorting, but their urgency
to receive goods heretofore ordered is
marked, and shipments from Boston have
been 3S0,963 cases in four weeks, about four
per cent. more than 1898. and 16 per cent.
more than in 1895, with greater increase
over every other year.
Iron and steel prices have been yield
ing for several weeks, and are shade low
er for products than at any other time
since the middle of September, though bes-
semer pig and billets are still so scarce
and firmly held that only two sales amount
ing to 5000 tons are anywhere reported.
THE cotton manufacturer meets but
moderate demand for goods and extensive
famine in India Is expected to reduce Brit
iSh in w Il
ton of S,963,34 spindles at the south in
1899 reported by the Textile World, would
imply a heavier increase than has been
supposed in consumption by northern
mills. Scarcity of water has curtailed the
output for weeks past, and yet prices are
hardly held, with distant contracts shade
lower. Cotton has risen to eight cents.
Wheat has advanced to 75H cents with
NJ clearer reason for such a sharp ad-
vance. Western receipts are small, in four
weeks only 10,9S4,92S bushels, against H.
0.297 last year, but the Atlantic exports
have been only 7,737,474 bushels, -four in
cluded. against 17.oS7 1888 last year. Pacific
exports show a little gain, amounting to
s.311, 1856 bushels for the same four weeks
against 2,175,24S last year. but this is of no
aid to Atlantic markets. Exports Of corn
still show that American food is wanted
abroad, having been in four weeks Is, 49,
7s2 bushels against 12,370,5 64 last year.
Nevertheless the price of cash corn has de-
clined about three-quarters of a cent, al
though option prices are about the same as
at the close last week
Failures for the week have been 231 in
the United States against 224 last year, and
SO in Canada against SO last year"
Bradstreet's says: Exceptions to the
quiet and even dizziness shown by many
lines of trade and speculation are found in
the active demand for wooden goods for
next falls delivery and In the active call
for dry goods on spring account. In the
latter direction prices show special
strength and the bulk of the business
placed in woolens has been at advances of
rs to 40 per cent. In other lines notable
steadiness Is shown in prices. Weather con-
ditions throughout the country part Of the
week have been against retail trade in
seasonable goods and there is very gen.
eral complaint OF large stocks Of winter
goods in the hands of this branch Of trade.
Another effect Of the unusually mild wealth
er is that shown in the northwestern lum-
Der business. Lack of snow will probably
Insure a reduction on the cut of last year,
and this, combined with smaller stocks
points to at least maintenance of pres
ent lumber quotations.
THE iron trade is in very interesting
condition just at present. Buyers and
sellers are still apart, uncertainty as to the
continuance of present conditions consti-
reported by large interests as in good de-
mand and some considerable sales of rails
and of structural material are reported"