The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-06
HEAT. HOLIDAYS AND LABOR
TROUBLES RETARD BUSINESS.
Retail Business Is Unusually Good
and Not Affected by the Condi-
tons That Worry Jobbers
and Manufac-
turcrS.

New York. July 5.--R. G. Dun & Co. g
Weekly Review of Trade Tomorrow will
say:
Development, of fresh labor troubles il a
feature of week that has made for conserva-
ism In manv directions. but throughout the
country iobbins and retail lines are busy and
are handling goods at prices which yield far
PROFITS. There is reflection Of this activity in
the continued Improvement in the textile MIR
kets In the East and the uneaslness over tfe
money market does not extend beyond the ranks
of spectators in stocks. Crop reports continued
gratifying. much good having been done by
rains in the Middle West. Harvesting OF winter
wheat progresses fayorably
Effect of the Heat.
Manufacturing has been interrupted by the ele-
ments and labor agitation. Numerous prostra-
lions from heat caused humane employers to
close mills during the most distressing hours.
while the sheet and hoop workers were ordered
TO stop work until certain disputed points We're
settled. No immediate settlement is anticipated
because many plants need repair and others
are taking stock Until the owners wish to re-
sumo their position will not be known The re-
duction Of % cents No. % sheets was
pecsed and not accompanied BY any general
weakening Of prices.
Leather PrOducts.
Footwear shops In New England are active
on fall lines. hut local jobbers less busy and
orders from statesmen on the road are light
Leather is quiet. but irmer. with splendid
port demand for hemlock sole. Wooens and
worsteds selling better, and raw wool IS
taken more freely. but the average OF 100 grades
according to Coates Brothers circular. was
slightly lower at l7.o6 cents on July !. Cottons
aie in better domestic demand, but prices are
held above Bids OF shippers to China, and sales
in the brown goods division have decreased
Manufacturing whole is unusually active
Tor the
The Cereals.
Sta pie products are quiet. speculation being
stricled 10y depressing weather. and the lengthy
holidays at most OF the exchanges prevented new
commitments. News IRON the West full of
promise as to the growing wheat yield. causing
further decline in prices. although foreign needs
are known TO be heavy. Corn steadied somewhat
because of reported injury from heat AMI
drought. Receipts continue light in comparison
with last years. but exports are equally unsatis
factory. Cotton holds firmly at a point a little
below &c. strength is found in greater
activity in the cotton goods market together
with rimors OF rains in. Texas and a few other
States where moisture is deficient Sales of No.
kio coHee have been made below cents.
which is not surprising. since receipts at Rio anu
little short Of II I SaEs Even th se record
breaking crop will be surpassed II the current
the prices OF year ago wheat shows a decline
OF about lie bushel cotton ss.25 q bale and
last years price. and pork products alone Of
these commodities show any advance.
Commercial Failures.
Cen niercial failures during the first half OF
1901 numbersd 5sSs with iiaSilisiss OF ss5So4 3d.
against 5,32a last year. for $4.141.l52. In manu-
iactIrinE INES there were l,st' defaults: with
n4s liabilities while 4lSy traders failed
sa4 So: 2o7 The Improvement over the preceding;
year was most striking in brokerage and banking
respectively. against $40 and ssS.sz.6>. last
year This Is the more noteworthy because the
violent agitation in Wall street during May was
calculated to cause serious disturbance. and the
last week of June brought other failures through
DDS. While the half-years statement is graft
Tying. the second quarter makes much better
with the hrst quarter. and $iI 63 SIS in compari-
son with the second quarter Of 1899 The aver
age liability per failure smaller than I'm the
corresponding three menths of any year since the
records were first compiled The proportion OF
bad debts to solvent payments through clearing
houses was but CO cents to each 81. O0O and only
one out Of the preceding los quarters recorded a
lower ratio. while the average amount of de-
faults to each firm In business was but SEQ 80.
only seven other quarterly periods making