The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-19
FEELING IN TRADE
is 0P T|M|ST|C
Weather, Crop and industrial De.
yeIopment Are Favorable.
FUTURE SEEMS TO BE SECURE.
FUTURE SEEMS TO BE SECURE
immediate Present is Not So Encour.
aging-Railroad Earnings Are Real
" FIattering-lron and Steel
Trade Conditions Good.
(By Associated Press.)

y
NEW YORK. July 1S.-Bradstreet's
will say tomorrow: Weather, crop and
industrial developments have been large
ly favorable and coupled with the great
err ease of money, make for an optimistic
feeling in trade and speculation. AS
stated sometime ago and confirmed by
recent developments, the future seems
more secure, but the immediate present
does not in all instances present so sat
isfactory an appearance. Warmer
wea Their has continued to help retail
distribution, but has not in all cases
made up for the disadvantages caused
by the heretofore backward season. With
few exceptions summer resort business
has not equalled expectations.
Railroad earnings are really 1attering.
June returns on nearly one hundred
thousand miles of road showing an ag-
EreSate gain of S per cent. on last year.
The demand for food products, Of iro.
and steel has improved and lumber seems
to be recovering from the temporary de-
preston. The shoe trade and naturally
hides and leather, heretofore backward,
have begun to show a favorable side
and the strength of wool and wooden
goods is also more noticeable. The dry
goods trade is rather quiet but increase
Seems to be expected The Eastern fall
lobbng trade in this line seems to be ex-
pected to set in quite as early as a year
ago. Good growing weather is reported
throughout the country and corn and
cotton reports are generally more favor
able. The Southern peach yield is large
ana fruits generally have done well.
IRON AND STEEL
Iron and steel trade conditions are sur
prlSlnSIy good, to none more SO than to
the manufacturers themselves, who at
the middle of July find their output for
me last half of the year practically
booked. The scarcity Of pig iron.
amounts to approaching a famine owing
70 restricted supplies Of fuel. causing
shut-downs of numerous furnaces Num-
efous orders for pig iron for the first
ha!f of next Year have been booked both
by Northern and Southern furnaces
The position of the latter has been much
improved by the settlement of the coal
miners strike in the Birmingham dis
tr1ct. Heavy sales of finished material
are reported at Chicago and Pittsburg
TINS week. Bar iron, structural material
rails and in fact all Of the heavier forms
are active Implement manufa cturers
nave been free bidders. Hardware has
oeen exceptionally active; builders ma
terlal reading. Some western shovel man
ufacturers report an unprecedented sale
OF this class of material Wire cloth js
active and FARCE orders for material are
reported as booked. Machinery and
trlceS
note few changes and are In the ton
in practically all line
WOOLLEN. GOODS.
Woollen goods are still quiet at the
East. but the reports as to clothing
business received from Western and
Southern manufacturers Indicate a good
business. Wool is Strengthening East
ern quotations are one-half cent higher
and the tone is optimistic, helped bv
higher prices in London and reported
drought in Australia. It has been a
waiting market for cotton, the crop posi-
tons not as Yet being clearly enough
defined. Print cloths are said in good
inquiry at Fall River. The industrial
situation is better than it has been for
some time past. Wheat. including flour,
exports for the week ending July 18th
aggregate 3,'I5,222 bushels against 4,404,-
lis last week and 5.22l $50 in this week
last year. Wheat exports since July ag-
gregate 9,Sl6,357 bushels against -, 1853. :
l21 last season. Corn exports aggregate
1868 against 1871 last week, and liza
oSl last year. For the fiscal year corn
exports are S79,79i bushels against 6, Co.'S
80 last season.
Business failures for the week ending
July 9TH number ia as against 1876 last
week, POS in this week last year Fail
ures in Canada number II against IS
last week and in this week a year ago.