The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-12-28
SATURDAY.

at the lowest price buyers were slow
to take advantage. evidently a~nticipat-
ing more favorable terms.
Failures for the week numbered go
In the United States. against 237 last
year, and 20 in Canada, against Is last
year."
Bradstreet's says:
Reports of a record breaking holiday
trade, of seaSonable quiet in the leading
at top prices in iron and steel. of sus-
tanned activity in other industries, con-
tinued complaint of car and motive
power shortages. and a general hard
products, are the features of trade Il
vices to Bradstreet's his week. This
year closes with a cheerfulness of feel
ing never exceeded, even of late years,
and with expectation of the new year
as bright as any that have gone be-
fore.
Specially good reports as to holiday
distribution come from the east. central
west, northwest and southwest Adj
vices from some parts of the south are
tempered with a pessimism born of the
unsatisfactory yields of cotton in some
sections. In the west Chicago sends Il
particularly fine report but ST. Louis.
Kansas City, Cincinnati, st. Joseph and
Omaha send reports of the best holiday
trade in years. Chicago jobbing busl-
ness is the best on record and 10 per
cent larger than last year, and the re-
ports of cattle movement are rood
from there and other packing centers.
THE year closes with a burst OF ac-
tivity in iron and steel. Pig iron sales
for the week have never been equalled
at this season and lack of adequate
transportation facilities alone is a bar
to a still greater volume of distribution
The outlook is for a production Of 6.G00,-
600 tons of pig iron, of 5000, 600 tons OF
ore and of L. 00.0 900 tons of steel In 1902.
Prices nave of late and S15.75
to SIC Is freely paid at valley furnace
for Bessemer deliveries in the first
quarter of next year In finished prod
ucts the mills are owd with bust
ness. Wire rods have advanced 81 per
ton. In the coke trade supplies ars
piling up near the ovens, but the fur
naces are shutting down, owing to the
lack of cars to move one to the other
Some foreign steel is coming in, but
most German products are going to
England at very low prices
Wheat apparently cut loose from
corn this week and displayed exception
week. The winter wheat markets took
the lead in this respect, buying being
specially good at ST. Louis. Reports
of lack of snow over the winter crop
have been received, but reports of a
small surplus in Argentina, better ca
bles, light receipts west and northwest
and smaller gains in the visible supply
have all been features. Export BUSH
ness has rather been checked by the
rise. Corn has been dull, though stead
led by wheat, while oats have firmed up
6 little. Provisions have shown more
strength, and cheese has been helped
also"
New business in shoes and leather IS
naturally small, but shipments are
Hides are strong and leather
is also. the outlook being for higher
prices for shoes. The CIT in refined
sugar of 10 to rs points is really a re-
Election of the reduction in raw quota
tons. though talk of the war" con-
tinues. Coffee is stronger and ia better
demand.
quiet is the main feature in the whole
sale dry goods trade
Gray cottons for future delivery ar0
strong, in sympathy with raw cotton.
which has been strengthened on good
buying in the face of a liberal crop
moven emf. Wool is strong and tends
higher. Receipts of wool at Boston for
the year were 40 per cent larger than
a year ago, but toe are no heavier
at the close than at the beginning.
Supplies in the country are smaller. also
woolen goods are firm. with mems wear
goods in excellent shape.
Business failures for the week mum"
Der 219, as against 262 last week, 213 i'm
this week last year, 220 in 1893. 218 in
1898, and 297 in 1897. Canadian failures
number 16, as against "a last week, is
in this week a year age. and 70 i'm
1QQQS