The Topeka state journal., 1901-10-19
NO UnFAvORABLE SIGNS
Only Check on Business Is the
Mild Weather.

New York, Oct. 19.-R. G. Dun & Co. s
Weekly Review of Trade says:
Unfavorab1e signs rare in the bus
mess outlook Manufa cturing industries
enjoy exceptional activity and most job
bers and dealers find no occasion for
complaint Mild weather is the one in
f1uence that may be charged with re-
tarding retail merchandise distribution.
Yet there is general confidence that any
sales thus postponed will be made up
later. The same influence is invaluable
in facilitating the. handling of crops,
erecting buildings and other work. AL
though fifth of the year is still to be
heard from, including the usual inter-
ruption of elections and possible dis
turbance of legislation. there is ample
evidence that the volume of legitimate
business will largely exceed all previous
records. Speculation is comparatively
quiet both in securities and options on
leading products which emphasizes the
activity in trade channels as shown by
bank exchanges for the week at New
York, 33 per cent larger than last year
and S4 above 1899. while at other lead
ing cities the gains were 1853 and 81
per cent respectively.
Strength without imitation still sum-
marizes the iron and steel situation.
Despite two months of interruption by
the strike evidence accunulates that the
wear will surpaSS all records in produc-
ton of finished material and conse-
auently in consumption of ore and pig
cry far in 1902 promise that next year
will bring still higher records, and the
steadiness of prices makes the outlook
especially favorable Mills as a rule
have practically closed contracts for all
the orders that can be filled this year
and future developments can only affect
conditions in 1902 as to finished steel.
Heavy orders are recorded for rails with
a free movement of structural material,
while wire and wire nails go abroad in
large quantities. Pig iron is hardening
under the vigorous demand, forge and
southern boundary securing definite ad-
vances and BesSemer in PittSburg is
firm at SIS.
The plates are almost restored toenor-
NAL prices. Since domestic mills have
resumed and imports ceased, the Lon
don market has declined shorply. Cop
per rose in the face of reports that
large reduction in list prices was con-
templated by leading producers to re-
duce stocks. Footwear factories still
have many weeks full employment or
heavy weight goods for winter. Supple
nentary orders for seasonable lines
still arrive from eastern jobbers. Prices
are not quotably higher, though the
rapid rise of leather and hides have ta-
ken so much of the profit that shoes
must soon deterioratei in quality if better
quota tions are not forthcoming.
Cotton moves freely with prices well
sustained for all lines and definite ad-
vances in bleached goods. Woolen goods
are more quiet, yet shipments of over
five N illions of pounds of wool weekly
from Boston indicate no decrease in ac-
tivity at the mills.
Fluctuations in cereals We're small
with markets dull and featureless. Corn
receded a little further influenced un-
favorably by the insignificant ship
ments from Atlantic ports, only sol, ,555
bushels for the week compared with g.
T99 S87 last year and 4,747, ,25S in 1889
Wheat lost a little of the early gain,
although declining prices a year ago,
makes the difference smaller than it
has been at any time this crop year.