Evening journal., 1901-02-16
WEEK OFTRADs

WEEK OF TRADE
r. G.. Dun a. Co. say in Their weekly
Review OF Trade: Business continues
OF good volume in nearly all parts of
the country, and reports from the West
and Southwest OF a satisfactory distri-
button OF merchandise by iobbers be-
gin 10 have n familiar sound. Heavy
orders ccme from agents on the road
There Is no important change In prices
In any department Of manufactured
goods. and some staples rise. while
others decline. but the longer the sltu-
alton remains as at present the surerl
the business world feels about a rise
in prices in the future, for the demand
for merchandise for prompt consump-
tion does not decrease. Some progress
has been made in the direction of set
tlement Of labor differences in the
far West. and the temper of soft coal
miners is more amicable. while there
is little concern among steel Interests
over thesensational stories oforganiza-
tion at the mills to enforce demands
for higher wages. The standard meas
ures of business make favorable conf
parlsons. Liabilities Of failures in two
weeks Of February amounted to S5.-
25G, 500. Of which 81 ,495,O22 were in
manufacturing s2.S51 ,443 in trading
and St,410.4 .431 in other commercial
concerns. In the corresponding weeks
Of last year defaults aggregated S5,-
S57 40, Of which $2.3s6.2S3 were in
manufacturing and s2,659 800 in trad
ing. Failures for the week number cd
257 in the United States, against 21S
last year, and i'm Canada 40, against AZ
last year"
Bradstreet's has this to say Trade
adyices are rather more cheerful. This
applies as much TO current retail busi-
nss, which has been enlarged by
wintry weather, as II does 10 opening
Spring trade. which finds stimulation
in the general confidence felt as to the
outlook for the coming year Prices
show exceptional strength, all things
considered, the one weak spot being
raw cotton, which shares the rather
unsatisfactory tone manifested by the
cotton goods and yarn markets. For
eign demand for our breadstuffs has
been rather better, and this is reflected
in heavy exports, particularly Of corn.
Specially cheerful reports come
from the shoe and leather. the lumber
and the iron trade, the strength of
prices Of the latter having been in
creased by the talk Of pending con-
solidations, although the volume Of
business is restricted from the same
cause Failures are smaller than of
late, and current railroad earnings
show large gains over good returns OF
a year ago.
Boots and shoes are in rather bet
ter demand at all markets. Retail dis
tribution Of these and OF rubber goods
has been helped by current weather
conditions. Good Spring orders are re-
ported az most markets, particularly
Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston, and
sole leather is active in sympathy.
Boston reports middle and heavy
weight sole leather frmer, and scme
very larga transactions are reported,
but there is a possibility that these
are exaggerated. Boot and shoe ship
ments for the week from Boston are
1000 cases larger than last week. but
10 per cent smaller from January /
20 date than they were a year ago
Jobbers are reported more willing to
meet manufacturers, and some lines
are said to be selling 2la cents a pair
better. Taken as a whole. the outlook
is that the present year will be much
more favorable one than was 1900,
when manufacturers and jobbers alike
suffered from overstoczs. Bank clear
ings for the week (only five business
days at many cities) aggregate 81 ,056,-
76l 1877, a decrease Of 9.S per cent. from
last week, but a gain OF 36.6 per cent
over this week a year ago. Outside Of
New York elearngs show a decrease Of
5.S per cent from last week. but
gain Of 10 per cent. over last year"