The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1900-01-25
HOLD THEIR OWN.
An Even Balance Is Maintained In
General Trade and Prices-The
situation Reviewed.

New York, Jan. 20-Bradstreet's says:
General trade and prices as whole main
tain the even balance which has been the
leading feature for some time past, ana
In which Il Will require the advent or dis
tinctly new features 10 affect any basic
change. General demand Is large for this
season of the year, but speculation is quiet
to the extreme Of dulness In some lines,
and especially in those branches OF specu-
lation which go to radically AFFECT imam
cial affairs, ard therefore the volume or
bank clearings. Close examination OF lead
ing lines of industry falls to show marked
unfavorable features. 1t Is true that re-
tail trade In seasonable goods has been
and Is being affected by phenomenally
mild winter weather. but wherever spring
trade, particularly IN dry goods, has been
developed, II has been In such volume and
accompanied with such a readiness of ac-
ceptance of advanced prices as to point
to undiminished confidence on the part OF
the trade world as to the outlook for
spring business.
''The iron and steel industry, justly re-
garded as a trustworthy index of general
trade, IL still actively employed on old
orders, and new business is limited for rea-
sons unnecessary to recapitulate. 1t Is evil
dent that the few reactions In prices shown
In such an ordinarily dull period as this
have strengthened rather than lessened
confidence in the future. Signs OF prep
aratlon for the coming seasons needs are
shown In the reported active inquiry for
steel rails at the west, recent sales At Chi
cago aggregating $4,000 tons, some of which
are for northwestern railroads and some
for export, Production Is as evidently hard
pushed as ever. Cereals are dull In nearly
all directions. and the pressure of enlarged
stocks, particularly abroad, has been In
fluential this week In bringing about re-
action in prices. Corn and oats, however,
are rather firmer on foreign buying,
though sympatheticaly affected by the
decline In the leading cereal Lumber is
strong, particularly white pine grades.
partly because OF smaller stocks and a
possibly smaller cut in the northwest as
a result OF lack Of snow, and partly because
OF hopeful feeling as to the building
outlook the coming spring"
Il, G. Dun 4 Co., IN their weekly review
OF trade say: whether the new year will
surpass or keep pace with the old is the
question which gives especial interest TO
every weeks returns, Comparing now
with business by far the largest and most
prosperous ever known a year ago, more
than ~ per cent larger than In January,
1898, which In Its turn had shown heavier
business than in any year preceding, II
cannot be expected that such a gain will
be repeated. But the decrease OF &c per
cent. In payments through clearing houses
is wholly due TO great speculative activity
at New York last year, with sales OF H.
oN,SS shares, against 6,5lS92e TO the same
date this year, for payments outside this
city have been 40 per cent. greater than
year ago, and greater than in the same
part OF any other month.
Failures for the week have been s42
in the United States, against 2ls last year,
anu ~ In Canada, against 50 lastyear."