The St. Louis Republic., 1901-01-19
GENERAL BUSINESS
IMPROVED THIS WEEK
Easy Money in the Interior Is Slim
ulating Business-Retail Trade
Is Good, Says Dun.

New York. Jan. 1s.-R. C. Dun & Co.
Weekly Review OF Trade tomorrow will
| say:
| In most directions the condition of gen.
eral business has improved slightly this
| week Prices OF the commodities are
| steady as are most manufactured goods.
| Orders to manufacturers are OF sustained
volume and the pronounced easy money in
the interior is still stimulating business
| and Is shown by bank exchanges at leading
cities. outside New York. for the week 142
per cent larger than in 1900 and rs per cent
above 1883. At New York the record is a
| gain Of 77.3 per cent over 1900 and 1913 per
cent over 1899.
Retail trade has not declined as much
as usual since the holidays Textiles show
! more life small. but steady Improvement
In the demand has appeared, and In the
cotton goods division it is more
| noteworthy because OF the weakness
in the raw material Sellers Of
both staple and fancy cottons are able to
maintain position Of Independence
SteadinesS Is the chief characteristic Of
the iron and steel industry. The past
week has brought no new developments for
strlking employees and quotations are un-
changed There Is a notable lack Of new
contracts covering large operations, but
many small orders are placed and mills are
well occupied on all old business that in
most cases will take months to complete
even If nothing further offers.
"On this account there is no urgency
about securing orders, and no concessions
are made by leading concerns. Export
inquiries are fewer. but manufacturers cx-
moit no concern on this point Work Is
SO vigorously prosecuted at the furnaces
that demand for fuel Increases and coke
production ha
pands. Coal also moves freely at Pitts
burg, delayed shipments being hurried for
ward with the AID of high water.
-, Tnere Is still some uncertainty regarding
the proposed tube and sheet plants. and ac-
tlon by the Carnegie Company is Awaited
with interest
sales OF wool at the three chief Eastern
markets, raising the total for three weeks to
Io,SozsSV pounds There Is etill heavy loss
compared with preceding years. for in the
same period last year the total was ID. 920.-
sO pounds, and 16, 900 two years ago o.
$500 In lsss and 4, ,SS6.2l0 In 1897. These
nsureS give good idea OF the present dull
ness In this industry. The observation-disclosures
stocks are generally considered low; never
tneiess, they buy only for immediate needs
grades.
Results at the London auction sales were
more satisfactory than anticipated, buyers
which were quite as heavy as expected
rrlces were from to 715c per cent better
tnan the previous sale, and this moderate
soVance had some influence on the tone
mere without affecting actual prices. The
raw material for the other leading te1tiIa
fndustry has been in g less satisfactory
position, owing to depression in the yarn
market which caused the association to
recommend reduction in the output by one
han. Large estimates OF the cotton crop
also assisted In the decline
Boot ana shoe shops are. as rule well
occupied, but it Is noted that business is
unequally distributed. Statesmen furnish
mooerate orders from the West and South.
altnough the rapid growth OF manufacture
ing az interior points has exerted a per-
cePtlole influence On New England sales.
sales or leather are Of only moderate VOL
ers, with no speculative operations
supplies OF hemlock eoles are still lim-
lte1, and scarcity OF union backs caused a
further advance IN quotations
failures for the week were 325 in the
United States, against 242 last year and
4S In Canada, against 10 last year"