Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-04-30
TRADE REVIEW.
Lending Commercial Agencies Re.
port business ms Brisk IN Spite
of Some Drawbacks,

New York. April OR. G. Dun & Co.'S
Weekly Review of Trade says: Business
continues very brisk for the season in the
face of some drawbacks. which at times
might cause marked hesitation. Chief of
these Is the floods In many directions
which have interfered with railroad oper-
atoms and interrupted the distribution of
merchandise, and the weather all over the
east has been adverse to an increase of
retail trade. Bank clearings, however,
show that. while speculation has been
heavy. there must have been a well-sus
tanned volume of legitimate business, for
the gains are Ill per cent. over 1900. and
lS,9 over 1889, outside OF New York, and
lO3 30 per cent. over 1900 and $40 over 1899 at
this city Railroad earnings make similar
~ encouraging gains. Reports from the
interior show special strength in condl-
lions through Missouri. Kansas and Ohio,
and the future is full of promise. unless
there is misfortune with the crops. Much
unfavorable comment has appeared re-
garding the advance in steel rails to S2S.
Yet the change Is only In keeping with re-
cent increases In prices of pig iron and bill
lets Nominal quotations for many prod
ucts of iron and steel have long been dis
regarded in contracts calling for early de-
livery. and list prices are generally NOV
Ing up to representative level. On new
business or export orders II is not unreal
sonable to make prices for rails on parity
with other products of this industry.
After prolonged period of waiting for
definite crop news. the cereal markets sud-
denly awoke to unusual activity. Much of
the Increased trading and sharp advance
In prices resulted from clever manipula-
tion by a single western Spectator, who
compelled the short contingent to cover
May corn contracts at the highest prices
of the season. While there was an element
of strength in the reports of late planting,
slow movement of the old crop held great
er influence, as stocks available for deiv-
cry were light. Wheat has risen sharply
partly in sympathy with corn, but there
was bad news regarding the German crop,
and some damage occurred at the west.
the United States, against 204 last year,
and &c In Canada, against % last year"
Bradstreets says: while adversely af-
fected by unfavorable weather conditions,
general trade manifests a strong urderly-
ing tone which seemingly lacks only the
advent of better weather 10 become buoy
ant. Cold weather has undoubtedly af-
fected planting and termination in some
sections, but the probable damage to crops
is not as great as earlier advices appeared
to indicate. In some directions activity Is
pronounced as, for example, In iron and
steel. where apparently production Is
taxed to Its capacity. though seemingly
more to meet existing requirements than
because of new orders. The general price
situation Is one of tirmness, most COM
modities being unchanged though there
are few increases noticed, particularly In
conee, flour, wheat corn, oats, lard and
tin. while butter, cheese, petroleum and
odd sizes of print cloths show declines.
Speculation in wheat this week was active,
and the price movement was upward