The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-03-28
REVIEW OF TRADE.
Every Sign on the Commercial Hori-
zon is Considered to BE High
Iy Favorable.

New York, March Or. G. Dun & Co.'s
Weekly Review OF Trade says: THE posi-
ton of general BUSINESS Is satisfactory,
being marked this week by increased &C
tivity OF retail operations Throughout the
west, ard in some Atlantic seaboard cities,
which Is considered the f~orerunner of 4
generally good spring trade. New enter
prise is reflected in the largest demand
for many months for builders hardware
and general materials and contracts for
prompt delivery of all structural goods are
very difficult to place. Collections are
prompt, and railroad tonnage is well MAIN
tanned. Earnings of all railroads for the
month of March to date show a gain OF
los per cent. over last year, and 800 per
cent. over 1899. The gains extend to prac-
tically the whole country. The textile IN
dustry alone does not improve. Short time
has been adopted by Fall River cotton
mills, and there are reports that some OF
the southern weaving mills are about to
curtail production, but this has been with
out special effect upon demand for either
print cloths or heavy brown cottons. QUO
tations of pig iron and finished steel tend
toward a higher level. There is still the
wholesome element Of conservatism, which
prevents violent fluctuations and keeps the
advance at a moderate rate, but the
tendency of the market is undeniably to-
ward better things.
Failures for the week numbered PA in
the United States, against 1888 last year,
and 80 in Canada. against q last year.
Bradstreet's says: TRADE is still active,
though perhaps not so buoyant as In weeks
past, partly owing to the natural subs1-
dence of the spring demand at wholesale
and partly because of the interruption TO
demand and shipments by snow and rain
storms in the northern half of the country.
From the south the first distinctly unfa-
vorable advices received for some time
past come as a result of the heavy and con-
tlnued decline in the price of cotton. Trade
comparisons with earlier years favor the
present season, as may be gathered from
the exceptionally good railway earnings,
returns and the enormous increases in
clearings, some of which are no doubt ex-
planned by the preparations for large
financial operations and the buliish specu-
lation in stocks, which has resulted in new
price records for man. securities. South
western advices are especially cheerful,
and farmers in that section hope to repeat
or even improve upon the good results of
last year. Iron and steel are strong and
even buoyant, but, as in times past, the
western trade displays the greatest activ-
ity and the most strength, while eastern
markets nave rather Jagged behind. Chi
cage and Pittsburgh display great ANNA
ton, and central western mills are crowd
ed with orders. War talk induced some
short covering in wheat this week, and
flour strengthened on better demand, but
crop reports were in the main favorable.
Corn has been in good export demand, but
is held down by increases in supplies,
weather at the west keeping good. The
strength of hog products and higher prices
for live hogs has resulted in talk Of a cor
ner being worked " May delivery at Chi.
Present prices are the best recorded
for years past"