Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-18
BUSINESS FEATURES.

4 Dun notices that few months ago
that railroads would be seriously harldi-
capped by loss of tonnage. yet the sea-
4 son of grain traffic has not only failed to
4 produce decreased earnings but there is
such a scarcity of rolling stock and mo
tive power that numerous industries are
badly demoralized. In fact railroad
4 earnings for October were 113 per cent
| greater than last year. A healthy de-
mand is reported thruput the country in
| the leading lines of merchandising. and
| in manufacturing there was never be-
! fore such well-sustaiIled activity. The
outlook is certainly cheering.
From Chicago all classes of merchan-
disc are moving westward in quantities
which exceed all previous experience of
transportation companies. and yet the
Gearth of cars is acute. Numerous heavy
orders for additional equipment have
been placed by nearly all the roads, but
car makers are not equal to the pressing
| needs of the situation. The return of
| colder weather has given an impetus to
the consumption of all seasonable mer-
ohandise. The retail and department
stores are rushed with business, and the
| jobbers again receiv'. many reassort-
r1ent orders from city and country mer-
1 chants The iron and steel mills have
again booked heavy orders and the rail
/ capacity is we'll engaged for next year.
4 Commercial paper appears in fair sup-
ply.
In Boston the business in jobbing and
1 retail circles continues good, with a
disc of all kinds, and the outlook is con-
sidered encouraging. Manufacturers of
clothing report an active call for heavy
suits and overcoats. Women's walking
1 skirts and flannel waists are also NOV
/ ing freely. Boots and shoes are active
/ and very firm. with jobbers having a
1 good trade and manufacturers very
| busy. Shipments from the factories are
| heavy, los, SOS cases for the week and A.
| ga. 1873 cases for the year so far, or 5lS,-
/ 74s cases increase on 1900. Prices of foot
wear are very firm and makers are get
| ting the 21a-cents advance or cheapening
1.-The goods TO correspond with the higher
| cost to make, leather ruling very firm at
| the full recent advance and hides steady.
The wool business has been good, the
demand coming from the smaller mills.
4 The money market is firm.
| Pittsburg reports the car shortage a
serious factor in the iron and steel mar
| ket. 1t is estimated that the most fa-
! yored shippers are not getting over 10
/ per cent of their requirements. and the
! majority are not getting over SO per cent
OF the cars needed. In some instances
blast furnaces in the valley are getting
from 80 to 35 per cent OF cars necessary
to move their iron. The difhcuity OF
! getting materials would seem to be the
only check in intense activity.
In Philadelphia the consumption OF
| iron and steel continues very large, ana
/ all plants are extremely busy in filling
| orders. Prices are firm and there IS a
/ GOOD prospect of continued activity, the
only drawback being a shortage Of cars
which is very serious factor In the sit
uation: this is also the case ncoai ana
coke. dealers. being besleged with orders
the
| scarcity of cars.
i At minneapolis business conditions
are all that could be desired. Locai
| -four mills are producing an unusually
| large quantity this season. At ST. Pau
colder weather has had a gratifying eff
feet on trade In general.
| ST. Louis reports the past week mas
been the best the city has had for years
at this season of the year Jobbing or
ders have been heavy and well eistri-
1 buted.
From the south varied reports are re-
ceived At Memphis trade in clothing
lines are quiet; at Nashville general
trade is fairly Satisfactory, az i4i'.tN
Rock wholesale trade is only fair; al
New Orleans general trade shows nc
Improvement, but the volume of busi-
ness is UP to the average for the sea-
son.
At Kansas City jobbing trade IN dry
goods. clothing and groceries IS fairly
active and holiday goods of all kinds
are especially SO. Drugs, paints and OILS
continue in strong demand. Retail trade
is feeling the effects of the weather and
seasonable goods of all kinds are very
active. Collections continue to inn
prove.
| San Francisco reports that the late
general rains have been followed by
cool weather and no particular damage
to produce is reported Flowing is in
progress In all sections of the state and
the agricultural outlook Is satisfactory
n Reports from the orange districts are
variable but in nearly all cases short
! er crop is given. the shrlnkage running