The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-23
Business in Nearly All Depart
ments of Industry is Unusually
Brisk and Idle Factory Wheels
Are Rare
MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION
PROVE INADEQUATE
Orders for Steel Rails Are Almost
Without Limit and Some Fac
tories Unable to Guarantee De-
IiverieS in a Year-Shoe Shops
Working on Sporting Goods

ANtN 1Oi ~ NON. Az.-IA. " Odil .
weekly review of trade tomorrow will
say: Never before in the history of the
United States was there such great
reason for a day of. national thanks
giving. This country has made unpre-
cedented strides toward a position of
international supremacy. not only in
commerce but in finance.
To a marked degree business enter
prises have proved successful. An idle
wheel in mills or factories is the ex-
eeption, while labor is so well employed
at high wages that consumptive de-
mands sustain market values of all
staple commodities. TRANSPORTING
Facilities have been unable to keep
pace with the nations requirements.
many complaining of tardy deliveries,
which alone act as a brake on CONNER
cial progress.
By closing lake navigation, lower
temperature will relieve the railway
situation, thousands of cars being re-
sto' q, to inland traffic. This same
acl of seasonable weather stimulates
retail dealings, and prompt collections
swell bank exchanges which for the
week were 80 per cent larger than last
year at this city and 35.6 over 1899,
While at other leading cities there We're
gains Of 10 and 40 per cent respec-
lively Heavier payments through
clearing houses are not due to specula-
ton, as sales of stocks for the week
were smaller than a year ago.
investigation discloses few unfavor-
aple FACTORS in the iron and steel situa-
ton. Probably the least satisfactory
condluons are found at plate mills
which report an uneven distribution Of
orders. A few large concerns appear
to secure the bulk of new business, but
heavy orders for cars will largely ex-
pand the buying, while the new com
Dination viii put this class of mills on
a stronger basis. In rails there is no
apparent limit to the orders placed,
though some mills are unable to guar
antee delivery withinsa year.
Eastern footwear manufacturers are
now generally insisting on small ad-
Yances when new contracts are placed
out large Jobbers resist the upward
tendency, and the continued strength of
leather will necessitate depreciation Of
quality If higher prices are not paid.
Despite the increase of factories at the
interior, heavy contracts have been
placed in New England during the past
week by western buyers. Conditions
are unprecedented in regard to open
ing work on spring goods, which has
not waited for finishing rooms to
close up the heavy weight season.
Locally there is much activity. not
withstanding the bright weather, but
business is much better further north
| and west where snow has fallen Sole
leather is remarkably well sustained
with stocks scarce, and upper leather
! is also firm although in better supply
| Concessions in Chicago slaughter hides
have been general, but dry hides are
| 1-2c higher.
Cotton relapsed into dullness with
barely steady quotations. in marked
! contrast to the exceptional activity
and strength of the same week in 1900
when prices were s1E25 a bale higher.
| Foreign markets are held down by Mr..
Neils large estimate of the domestic
crop, which is not likely to prove as
near the fact as his excessively low
doubtedly been severe in many states,
while prosperity in all other regions
must bring a vigorous demand for
goods, which is already perceptible in
the activity of spinners.
Il British export of cotton goods are
Y much larger than they were a year ago
and domestic shipments to China have
also increased of late Return of Fall
River prices for prints to a normal DO
sition promises activity, especially with
the wage scale also settled. These in
! fuences are all most favorable for the
raw material.
| Wool has continued inactive, firm in
price, despite the returns indicating
that the domestic clip was the largest
since 1894. Boston shipments reached
a new high record. Strength is the
rule In the markets for farm products.
Failures this week numbered 21S in
the United States against 23S last year
and 81 in Canada against 20 last year.