The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-09
BRADSTREET'S ON THE WEEK.
Reports Cheerful with Promises of
an Active Spring Trade.

NEW YORK. March s.-Bradstreets
review of the state of trade tomorrow
will say:
Reports as n whole continue quite
cheerful. Most lines of d.stributive
spring trade are active, and the leading
industries are actively employed. Soft
spots are still In evidence In the textile
Industries. particularly In cotton goods.
and raw cotton has again sagged heavi-
ly. The cereals. too. lack snap. and dairy
products are weaker. When this is said,
however. about all that is unfavorable
has been enumerated.
Railroad earnings continue very good,
ciearings are of heavy volume, prices
show considerable steadiness, and, while
failures are larger in number, they are
much less costly than year ago.
Chicago reports dry goods sales the
largest of the year. with jobbing houses
working nights. st. Louis reports the
best spring trade for years. Business is
improving at Louisville, Kansas City. Gin
natl. Baltimore. New Orleans. Nashville.
ct. Paul, and on the Pacific Coast Wool
is selling in increased quantity. though
at low prices, at Boston. a feature being
heavy purchases by Philadelphia specu-
lators.
full of Southern buyers and fertilizer
shipments very large. Charleston reports
the same condition in fertilizers, and New
Orleans a heavy trade in farming imple-
ments and supplies. all indicating a heavy
acreage in cotton. Duluth reports great
activity in lumber and in iron ore lands.
Yellow pine prices are reported from Chi
cago to have reached the highest ever paid
in Northern markets.
The season of winter wheat crop
scares is now approaching, but the mar
lation is almost nil. Corn has weakened
but slightly on better weather and bear
ish statistics of farm reserves issued and
expected. Pork and lard are higher in
are light. Mild weather has lowered but
ter and eggs. but coffee is quite steady,
large purchases recently having led to
hopes of lettering the demand.
Cotton goods are working lower at
nearly all markets and now cotton is 5-l6c
of in week on poor trade reports and
pressure of Southern interior holders to
realize. leading to the belief that the crop
is larger than expected. The numerous
predictions of a famine in cotton sup
plies made some months ago by the lead
ing authorities contrast sharply with the
reports of reduced consumption now
coming to hand.
Wool is moving more freely and the
tone is more cheerful, apparently on the
idea that prices cannot well go much
lower. Heavy sole leather Is in demand
at all markets and talk of 40 cents for
oak tanned comes from Boston. 1t seems
to be rather n question of getting sup
plies than of securing orders at present.
Shoe shipments are SIN below year ago
and for the year are 10000 cases less.
Failures are more numerous, but much
less costly than year ago. Those Tor the
full calendar month of February number
SEQ, with liabilities of O37 and assets
of S3,642. 557 This is gain of l6 per cent
in number over last year and of i per
only half those OF year ago and the
smallest reported in any February for
nine years.
Bank clearings for the week aggregate
s., 319, 49,, 500, a gain of 81 per cent over
last week and of 81 per cent over this
week a year ago. Outside of New York
the gain is q per cent over last week and
IA per cent over year ago.