The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1902-01-23
I Nothing has happened
thus far in the new year to
! indicata thar tho homes of
| New York.

ILL.,.
--| indicate that the hopes ol
| continued prosperity so generally enter
J tanned throughout the country are falla
cious. The one place where there have
| come TO the surface conditions disagree
| able TO contemplate is Cleveland. where
| it has long been suspected by banking in
terests that trouble was brewing. The
difficulties of the Everett-Moore syndi
cate and their consequences are purely
local. They are not due to any weakness
ia business in the country at large. The
same observation applies with equal force
TO the rubber situation. which has been
the subject Of wide comment in the East
Ii is source of relief to merchants
and manufacturers that transportation
facilities are easier, now that the holiday
trade, the greatest in the country's his
tory, is finally disposed of. but these IA
cilities are not equal yet to the require
ments OF the vast volume Of business.
The railroads have not yet delivered all
The structural material which has been
delayed in shipment. These delays have
interfered seriously with building opera
tions in many quarters. Nevertheless or
ders for this kind Of material are pouring
in on the mills. This is good indication
of activity in building during the coming
summer.
An idea of the magnitude of the new
equipment which railroad companies are
acquiring may be gained from the fact
that one OF the largest car manufactur-
ing companies built in 1901 65.OOO cars,
of which only 500 were passenger cars,
and that orders in this industry continue
TO be enormous. James j. Hill. in speak
ing to the farmers of the Northwest. said
the country has outgrOwn the capacity OF
most of the trunk lines.
The rail mills are kept so busy by home
orders which it will take long time to
fill that little attention. is being paid to
foreign business. The English mills have
been able to get an order for 10J. 600 tons
of rails for Mexico because the American
steel men did not deem it worth their
while to make bid. 1t is understood
that the mills are receiving liberal orders
to be filed during the second half Of this
year. They will not be for the present
the active competitors in foreign markets
that they were few years ago.
The freer movement Of coke has ena-
bled some of the blast furnaces to resume
work, and the situation in that respect
is much improved over week ago.
Prices Of wire nails have been advanced
10 cents per kce at Pittsburg. and it is
believed that quotations will be perma-
nently higher, as the outside concerns
appear to be working toward an agree
ment with the trust. After cut of 35
cents per keg this is the first step in the
direction Of a recovery.
The minor details show no special ac;
tivity. The Amalgamated company hao
not made a further reduction in prices,
although the independent companies con-
tinue to cut under its figures. Fears are
expressed in England that the end Of the
copper embarrassments has not been
seen there yet.
The shoe manufacturers are fairly busy
on spring and summer goods. There are
no signs as yet Of lower prices. The job
bing trade in woolens shows a slight inl-
prOvement. Prices are as high as and
in some cases higher than they were a
year ago. The cotton mills are active.
Reports from the dry goods trade indi-
cate that advance orders for the current
year are greater than at the beginning
of 1901. Country merchants are not
backward about buying. and that is
satisfying proof Of the soundness Of con-
ditions in the small communities.