Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-04-22
BUSINESS AT LEADING POINTS.

BUSINESS Az LEADING POlNIS.
4 The business situation has a very en-
sccuraging outlook, as reported by Dun.
in survey of national conditions.
Transportation is the greatest ever
! experienced by railroads centering in
Chicago. Complaints prevail of scarcity
LOT cars. There is a large spring move
msnt of cattle in the western range
country and heavyscall for cars to haul
4 stocks TO herding sections. Southwest
fern roads get most OF this business.
Lake navigation has opened. and there
lis a fair movement of charters. but less
l,activity than usual owing to the strike
lsof vessel engineers. Much less gram
goes out than WAS expected and cargoes
5o. corn are reported resold in the mar
ket. Wheat shipments are moderate
Mercantile collections are satisfactory.
Retail trade moves along easily. Mail
border dealings are better, and dupli-
tea,es are frequent. In jobbing lines the
Iseonditions are regarded as quite
l.healthy
In Boston no general Improvement in
trade can be reported. The weather
mas been decidedly against retail trade
Icing too cold and rainy for free sales
Eof spring and summer merchandise Dry
goods and clothing branches have SUI
lfsred the most. Most wholesale branches
Iare in a waiting condition, the boot and
tsshne business being the leading excep-
I5tion. Manufacturers in this line report
Z satisfactory volume Of fall orders at
lsteady prices. while work a the shops
Is giving full employment 10 machinery.
Shipments are still running ahead Of
last year.
Al Pittsburg wire rods We're the fea-
ture of the iron and steel markets last
/ week. Advances in prices have been
from 81 II 81 ton from a price Of $40
i q week ago, and the maximum figure is
inoy SO a TON. Outsid, of this special
feature tf,e market Is unchanged, the
iesmand continuing strong ard former
aGvanced prices being sustained An
lticpated advances in sheets and lin-
lI1ate have not been made, as manafac-
turels belisve the present prices are
safe and that if increases are naae
they Viii reach the danger line in rela-
hon 10 Importation.
Ats'ii nrati trade has been. good, al
| tho nc special ACTIVITY j noted
! Minnsapelis reports that this IS a dull
4 season. as farmers are confining their
i attention TO seeding, and ii Is affecting
/ AZ lines 10 considerable extent In the
cities prospects are more encouraging.
] labor is in demand at coed wages. and
there is large amount of building.
The dry goods market shows good
tons. and other lines are reported fairly
i steady. There is little change in the
-Four output
Al st. Louis weather conditions con-
/ tinue unfavorable, and trade in all lines
IL handicapped. Country mail contin-
/ ues 10 show the confidence of mer-
,iAfti!ls,5 sti-u LIZ pioE'oitiolldts liicTsHss
4 Of orders previously reported still con-
/ tinues.
In Los Angeles interest for the past
4 month eentefed in marketing the orange
crop. Lack of transportation for fruit
resulted in the loss of many thousands
/ az dolarsgto southern California. Roads
-
and fruit is going forward in prime con-
Hcition. 1t is estimated that about 1900
car loads Of navels remain to be sent
forward in April Conditions for the
4 growth of crops and the development of
growing fruit are not altogether favor
able. Cold weather. dying winds and
lack of needed rainfall in some districts
are lessening prospects of heavy grain
land hay yield. Late sown grain espe-
i cially calls for more rain.
4 San Francisco reports that weather
4 conditions this month have been gener-
a ally uafavorabie to crops. Frost has
: hurt deciduous fruits in central and
a northern Cailfornla, ana the absence OF
lain and the presence of north winds
have injured late sown grain in all sec
Z tons. Feed grains are already firmer
At Memphis trade is good for the sea
son and collections hold UP we'll Tn
( seasonable weather retards planting OPP
erations.
4 II
VALUE OF COURTEOUS sALEsPEoPLE.
4 The Chicago Dry Goods Reporter
calls attention to a subject that ha.
i furnished food for thought to man,
: buyers at mercantile establishments
4 lit says:
The manager who hires help in retail
stores knows better than anyone out