The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-31

expectations: from Kansas City, which re-
ports that jobbers hays al they can 10 10
handle business offering, and from Omaha.
which reports August trade larger than
print cloths are &c higher while the
raw material is &c higher on the week, go
higher than two weeks ago. and only lc
lower than = year ago. Wool II moving
actively on good manufacturing demand
but IS no higher IN prices. Reports from
the wooden goods market continue fdNOla-
BILE With the exception thai the cheaper
grades OF shoes are not IL active request,
this trade is in active shape in the East.
Shoe shipments are increasing
The air OF patient serenity with which
the iron and steel trades view the trade
and strike situation is significant Of the
confidence growing that the end OF the
strike Is IN sight Leaving out this matter,
the trade Is IN good shape and cOnsump-
ton il large. Finished products, such as
hoops, tubes, sheets and tin plates, are
still bringing high premiums. Structural
material. plate and bar mills have orders
for months ahead. Wire IS scarce at Chi
cagO. owing 10 the Joliet shutdown. Al
Pittsburg merchant furnaces are at the end
OF their orders and must pile stocks next
month II the strike lasts. Foundry iron
l. in good demand at st Louis, and hard
ware IS in active distribution at all West
ern markets.
Business failures for the. week number
is, against Isl last year, loo in this week a
year ago, ~ in 1893. l64 in 1895, and lJS in
Il. c. Dun & Co : weekly Review Of Trade
VIII say RhA h+N 49,
quotations for wheat are not surprising,
In view OF the general tendency TO increase
estimates OF the crop Tar beyond the guam
tity indicated By Official figures OF condl-
ton. Another weakening influence Is the
slight decline OF exports below the record
breaking movement In the first two weeks
Of August Shipments for the week, how
ever, were still phenomenal, a~gSregatinS
6,307.30 2 bu. compared with 2,S04,5 61 last year
and 3179.917 in 1899. Moreover, this gain
occurred despite the interruption 10 snip
ments from the Pacific coast by the strike
OF grain handlers. These figures of exports
omit the movement from Canadian ports,
usually included in other records, Z cauS-
ing confusion as 10 the actual state OF
domestic trade. With a yield OF 5~0,O00,0oJ
bu In Manitoba, these shipments from the
Dominion are falling little short Of a mill
lion bushels weekly. Corn Is ~stubbOrnly
firm, though Atlantic exports for the week
were but 407, $50 bu, against 1851, 15S a year
ago and 4,01S,605 in 1899, while Western
receipts were ., $50 bu, compared with
2.iz,ol7 last year, indicating that farmers
are content TO market their surplus at
current prices.
August opened with the commercial sky
overcast by storm clouds that threatened
serious injury to the steel industry, while
drought in the Southwest aroused pessi-
mlstic predictions that business was on
the verge of a severe setback. Thousands
OF idle strikers, together with a prOfitless
season In agricultural regions, meant in
activity in manufacturing, trade and trans
portation. according to the prophets or
evil. Instead Of these calamitous cOnd1-
tiOns, however, the month ends with a hori-
zon that Is almost clear, and each day
resumption of work at an idle mill adds
&c the productive capacity. while Cancelled
orders for merchandise from dealers in
the drought section are rapidly reinstated.
After many years of Steadily-increasing
prosperity the farming population can face
moderate losses with equanimity. JObbers
and manufacturer report that orders for
fall goods have exceeded any previous year,
with noticeable demand for the better
grades and there is a definite measure
OF active trade in bank exchanges at this
city-7f per cent. larger than IN the same
week last year and 20.5 above 1899, while
at other leading cities the increase is &c.
and % per cent, respectively. Although
scarcity of freight cars holds back a large
tonnage, railway earnings thus far re-
ported for August show "A gain of E.1 per
cent. over last year and 23.6 over 1899.
Quotations of steel products are still
nominal, owing TO the difficulty experienced
in securing prompt delivery. 1t is esti-
mated that not more than 20 per cent. of
the steel company's capacity has been
stopped by the strike and this proportion
daily decreases. Consumers of tin plate
have sent supplies abroad. so that their
II is to be depIOred that American capital
and wage-earners will lose the profits OF
this business. IL is fortunate that other
Industries are not disturbed. Footwear
shops continue in splendid position and the
demand for leather is large at well-main-
tanned prices. Hides are sharing the inn
Irovement. with higher prices and activity
at the West. Wooden mills are crowded
with orders, even the smaller concerns
participating. and the wool market is
steady. despite weakness abroad"