The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-30
HOLIDAY TRADE ACTIVITY
Retail Distribution MORE NOTE
WORTHY THAN WHOLESALE.
Added Strength and Volume OF BUSH
ness i'm Iron and stccI-Cereals and
TextiIes-Transport Problems.

NEW YORK, Nov. 29.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say:
The advent of more s~easOnable weather
has given the apparently needed stimulus
to retail and holiday demand in the North,
East and portions of the South. From now
on retail rather than wholesale demand
will attract most attention. Colder weather
and snow would, however, benefit North
western trade and industry, though the
open weather prevailing has enabled more
than ordinarily complete farming prepara-
tons and extended building activity. Ac-
~companying the Improvement in the tone Of
trade there has been a broadening and
deepening in speculation i'm leading food
staples, and, all in all, there is a rather
more cheerful feeling prevailing.
No sign of the usual %seasonable quiet
ing down in the demand for iron and steel
is apparent, and buyers arc as eager as
ever TO obtain supplies. The car shortage
and the congestion of freight in the Pitts
burg district has been accumulated by the
switchmen's strike, and the trouble there,
if anything, is aggravated. a number of
furnaces are banked and several mills are
IDLE for lack of supplies. In finished prod
ucts, bars, sheets and structural material
are higher and there has even been an i'm
prOvement in plates. Foundry iron is 5Oc
higher at Chicago and 75c to 81 a ton ad-
vance on ruling rates must be paid for
prompt delivery of pig iron and billets at
Pittsburg. The big steel interests are re
ported as having plenty OF cars but not
enough motive power is offered. Brad
streets Halifax correspondent reports large
sales of Cape Breton steel in the United
States. Light and heavy hardware is active
and the supply of tin has been practically
cornered, with the result that prices are
DC a pound higher on the week.
Less Is naturally doing in the whole
sale distribution of dry goods, but the reas-
sorting demand is reported OF good volume.
Sales for next spring are not as heavy as
expected. At the East business In print
cloths is slow and there is less doing in
brown cottons for export, but these goods
are reported largely sold ahead to March.
The furry IN prints is over, and no bust
ness in printed goods for future delivery
can be placed at the recent cut rates. IN
wooden goods the situation is one of the
best for years. Dress woolens are steady,
tannelS are active and heavy overcoatingS
are in exceptional demand.
Eastern shoe manufacturers are asking
and getting two and two and one-halt cents
Per pair advance over prices made two
months ago.. Factories are busy in reas-
sorting and printing orders, and q number
are too busy TO take stock. Leather is still
firm at the late advance and betting leather
is 20 per cent. higher at Philadelphia.
1.-The strength of the coarser grains, corn
and oats, has been the sustaining feature
TO wheat, which might otherwise have re-
coded on large Northwestern receipts and
q heavy increase in the visible supply. y
resume of the worlds cereal food supply
shows a shrinkage this year of LOST. 100000
bu, as compared with last year. Provisions
are showing exceptional strength, due TO
shorts covering ano reported heavy buying
by packers.
Wheat, including flour, exports for the
week aggregate 5,117,47S bu. against 5,5lS,-
500 last week and 2,497,S $50 in this week last
year. Wheat exports from July l to date
aggregate 17, $3.50 8 bu, against Il, 742, 1913
last year. Corn exports aggregate $50, 96S
bu, against AS, 351 last week and 4,S01, $50
last year. From July l to date corn eX-
ports are 10, 164.0s7 BIZ, against 49, ,S26
last season.
Business failures in the United States
for the week number 1S9, as against 223 last
week ana 14 in the same week last year.