The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-01
GOOD YEAR AHEAD
Confidence in the Outlook For
Next Years Business
Is Notable Feature Of the Trade
Situation.
DUN AND BRADSTREET
Agree That Business Conditions
Are Excellent.
About the ONLY Weakness An
DUN AND BRADSTREET
About the Only Weakness APP
parent Is in Iron.

New York, Nov L-Bradstreet's says:
Confidence in the outlook for next
years business is notable feature III
the trade situation. The volume OF or
derS booked for next springs delivery
is large for this season of the year. and
is explained partly by the exceptionally
good business done on fall and winter
account and the large crop yields of the
year, and also by the good position OF
the winter wheat crop as cold weather
approaches. The absence OF k1lllng
frosts at the south has allowed OF the
maturing of considerable top crop OF
cotton. This has helped the trade stu
alton there, while acting as a brake
upon the tendency of the price OF that
staple to advance. The demand Tor
wheat has been active on milling ac-
count. the Pacific coast being reported
buying at northwestern markets. Flour,
though demand is less satisfactory, is
higher on the week. Cotton goods are
unchanged and quite steady. Distribu-
ton and the outlook in the dry goods
trade generally is very good.
THE great rush OF fall buying at the
west is now over but recorders are good
although colder weather would beneht
railroad trade materially. A feature Is
the confidence with which the buyers
take hold of holiday goods and give or
ders for spring delivery. Collections aic,
as a whole. good. Winter wheat crop
is all in, and most of it up and growing
finely.
"At the east, retail trade needs steady.
cold weather to stimulate demand. but
| jobbing business feels the effect of the
| lifting of the coal charge. Wooden goods
strengthened more by higher cost of raw
wool than by current demand. are tend
4 ing up; yarns have already advanced.
| Spring trade indications are promising
Lumber is selling freely, despite the al
vanced stage Of the season. The move
ment of anthracite coal is increasing,
and prices have fallen rather faster than
| rod INN a of
| are large. BituminouS coal is less active
| Eastern shoe buyers appear to have
been overconservative and are now
| rushing in recorders. Hence jObberS are
in turn crowding manufacturers. Spring
business is in good volume and more
confidence is shown in the future. Buy
ing of leather is not very active at
eastern markets, but a good volume of
shipments is going forward on orders
Western leather markets are quite ac-
tive. Hides and skins show no accum-
ulation.
s'One industry in which confidence in
next years business has heretofore been
marked shows signs of hesitation That
is iron and steel, finished products of
which, apparently because of high
prices, have tended to accumulate.
Where price reduction has occurred.
however, new business has come in
gratifying volume. For the cruder
FORMS, particularly pig iron, rails loss
of strength is noted. The larger move
parently affected eastern iron furnaces
but little, and the scarcity of coke holds
down production in the PENNSYLVANIA
valleys The scarcity of pig iron is IL
Illustrated by the fact that the sales for
the middle of next year are being made
at $21 rs per ton, while immediate sup
plies are scarce at $25. The acceptance
of reduced wages by the tin plate mill
hands will enable American mills to
capture orders for 1,500. 900 boxes of So
called drawback plates. Steel plates and
bridge material have sold freely this
week at Pittsburg, but Chincago- notes
quietness and even some hesitation.
Hardware is active in nearly all mar
kets, an advance of 25 per cent over
last year being noted at Pittsburg. The
fixing of the coke price for next year
at SO per ton by the leading interests is
regarded as a satisfactory feature, but
outside producers, it is claimed, will ask
more.
Business failures in the United States
for the week ending Thursday, October
30 number 1874, as against 1874 last week,
172 this week last year. 165 in 1900 TIA In
1899 and 1873 in 1893. Failures in Can
ada for the week were "a as against %
last week.
DUN'S REVIEW.
r. G. Dun & Co.'S weekly review says
Speculation waits upon politics, bu
legitimate business is not disturbed By
! the approaching elections. New labor
controversies have been promptly set
: tied by advancing wages, and the grad
: ual Improvement in supply of coal ha:
reduced prices and restored activity il
manufacturing. Complaints are increas
t ing as to the tardy movements of freight
miles of cars being stalled by the lacl
| of motive power, and many roads re
: fuse to accept further shipments unit
J, the blockades are relieved. Lower tenn
: perature has stimulated retail sales o
r seasonable merchandise, but frost come:
too late to seriously injure agriculture
e products. Liberal consumption sustain'
0%of Ions In fr7nS orff 10 d0
a mandS being supplemented by large ex
. ports. Operating expenses of the rail
e | ways have increased in many cases t.
n such a degree that net earnings ar
f somewhat curtalled, but gross earnings
for October thus far exceed last year,
v by AT per cent. and those of 1900 by 49,.
: per cent
: Undue significance is attached to tn
n announcement that the Prick comDan.
5 will not adyance next years price TO
4 coke above SO. Although this is in lin
with other conservative efforts of lead
q ing interests to prevent inflated prices
: the probable influence on the outsid
= market will not be great, as the bulk O
: output will go to the various plants o
: the United States Steel corporation
. Meanwhile sales are being made at 81
= in extreme cases and the scarcity ha
X closed more blast furnaces.
The future course of the iron and stet
: industry will be largely influenced by thi
II fuel shortage, much business being per
= manently lost to home producers an
a prices in some departments already sho,
y the effect of disorganized conditions Rail
way needs have not diminished. numerou
: large orders constantly appearing, Will
the pressure for locomotives is causin
st large premiums to be offered Structure
Of shares for bridge and ship building ar
ID next in point of urgent demand Agree
IN ment on the tin plate wage scale may 81
=, cure a lot of business that now goes OF
10 of the country and some reduction
eS l.. Cd a