The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-28
DON's TRADE REVIEW.
The South Not Sharing in the Gen eral Prosperity

The South Not Sharing in the Gen.
 eral Prosperity.
 New York, Dec. FIR. G. Dun & O. s weekly review of trade tomorro" VIII say: . naralleied prosperity with which this na- lion has been blessed during the past year. the expenditure for Christmas gifts and decorations should be ample. DIS tribution of Christmas gifts among the employees of large firms and corporations was on the same scale, often the in. crease over last year amounting 10 lVo per cent, while the profit sharing at dented figures 1t Is noticed that South ern trade shows less satisfactory gains over last year than at other secuons; which Is not surprising. as the princlpal product of tha South has averaged from $S to $1O a bale less than year ago: while the quantity thus far marketed shows no commensurate increase.
 tion by floods and storms last week,
 transporting and manufacturtng faclIi-
 ties were further handicapped by numer-
 ous accidents. Iron furnaces and steel
 mills were tied up ana the movement ,1.a1 Ei ir
 coke was hampered. This resulted Tn
 such insufficient supplies or tuel that
 many stacks were banked at tune
 when full activity was especially de-
 sired. The situation as to coke is more
 critical than at any previous time this
 season. Output in the ConneIsv1lle re-
 zion has been at a record-breaking pace for a month or more, but stocks accu- mulate at the ovens because motive
 power and cars cannot be secured. Pig iron production is no longer at the high
 mark recorded when December opened
 and with fancy prices for t1ei It IS nat nat
 producers report their full output sold up to the middle of next year, and structural mills are in about the same
 position. A large Mexican rail order has hoao off to Europe as domestic makers ale unable to under'
 take any new deliveries for some time to come.
 been interrupted by holiday influences, and stock taking among jobbers. cotton goods ruled quiet. apart rom the ue- mand from converters, which was on a liberal scale Cotton mills are sold ahead for several months as rule and there Is no urgency to make new contracts, especially in view of the uncertain raw
 material market. In the woolen goods division, overcoatings find ready pur- tchasers, while prices on some lines Just | opened are about per cent. higher than | last season. Wool is strong and tend
 ing upward with a good demanq ana not on only from mills and dealers, put on | speculative account. Stocks are closing | the year in much better condition than l at the start, exceptional consumption | having made large inroads Raw cotton | is also making a better showing Footwear shops are actively engaged | and shinning much more heavily than q | year ago. Leather and hides are strong | but comparatively quiet
 ! A decidedly high price level has beer maintained for the leading staples, with | option trading of good dimensions, des' | bite the double holiday at the produce | exchange. Wheat recovered most or the | recent moderate decline, supported by a | fairly steady demand. Notwithstanding | the high level of quotations as compared | with earlier years, exports for the week | from all parts of the United States, in | cluding flour. amounted to 3,34O912 bush els compared with 2756,0l4 bushels q year ago. and 24l7.0l7 bushels two years | ago Interior receipts were light ano | flour mills have been handicapped by the
 car shortage which made it difficult tc
 bring in raw material or take out the
 finished products.
 i Corn continues about 50 per cent. above plains Atlantic exports of only 3lS,20' l bushels, against 3.319.255 last year. | Sugar became conspicuous through the l aggressive cutting of quotations by com l peting refiners. Raw grades declined ! slightly on account of big crop estimate
 and other outside influences, but the ! fall in standard granulated was dispro' portionately heavy, and at the bottom point. after deducting all rebates, nc l profit could be figured Even at the low est price buyers were slow to take ad
 vantage, evidently anticipating still | more favorable terms
 l Failures for the week numbered 25l | in the United States against 87 last year. and g in Canada against IS las | yea.