The Washington times., 1901-11-30
BRADSTREET'S ON THE WEEK.
Colder Weather Gives Needed stimu-
Ius to Retail Demand.


NEW YORK, Nov. 29.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say:
THE advent of more seasonable weather
has given the apparently only needed
stimulus to retail and holiday demand in
the Northeast and portions of the South.
From now on retail rather than wholesale
demand will attract most attention. Cold
er weather and snow would, however.
beneht Northwestern trade and industry.
though the open weather prevailing has
enabled more than ordinarily complete
farming preparations and extended build
ing activity.
Accompanying the improvement in the
tone of trade there has been a broadening
and deepening in speculation in leading
food staples and, all in all. there is a
rather more cheerful feeling prevailing
The great basic conditions of wholesale
trade and industry show no particular
change, though in iron and steel the sit
uation Is apparently further strengthen
ing the position OF producers.
The car shortage has not improved per-
ceptibly, and has. in fact, been aggravated
by switchmen's strikes at several points
There is & rather calmer view taken OF re-
cent events in the cotton goods trade
while the wooden goods situation is as
strong as ever. Holidays have slightly
reduced the volume of bank clearings from
a week ago, but the gain over last year is
still marked.
LAS for some time past, the traDsporta-
tion interests have been very busy, but
now that water navigation is closed, the
strain, though not ended as whole, may
be somewhat relieved. The only unfavor-
able feature noted is the continuance of
the drought in Kansas and Missouri, the
effect OF which upon the winter wheat
crop is not as vet defined.
Wholesale trade at the South still
notes the dulling effect of the smaller
expected cotton crop, and the lower
prices obtained as compared with last
year.
No sign of the usual seasonable quiet
ing down in the demand for iron and steel
is apparent, and buyers are as eager as
ever to obtain supplies. The car shortage
and the congestion of freight in the Pitts
burg district has been accentuated by the
switchmen's strike, and the trouble, il
anything is aggravated. Finished prod
ucts. bars. sheets, and structural material
are all active, and there has even been an
improvement in plates.
Less is naturally doing In the wholesale
distribution of dry goods. but the reas
sorting demand is reported of good vol
ume. Sales for next spring are not as
heavy as expected. At the East business
in print cloths is slow, and there is less
doing in brown cottons for export but
these goods are reported largely sold
ahead to March.
THE furry in prints is over, and no
business in printed goods for future de-
livery can be placed at the recent cut
rates. In wooden goods the situation is
one OF the best for years. Dress woOlens
are steady. fannels are active, and heavy
oyercoats are in exceptional demand. In
deed many mills are starting on reas-
sorting orders for these goods at advanced
prices.
The 1901 wool clip promises to be per
cent larger than last year and supplies
are heavier than year ago. but demand
on the other hand. is also better.
Business failures for the week num-
Der 1S9, as against 223 last week and Isl
in the same week last year"