Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-29
WEATHER Helps TRADE
Volume Of Transactions in All
Lines OF Retail Trade
Large.
General Distribution Of Merchan.
disc Has Exceeded That Of
Previous Years.
Demand for an Eight Hour Day
the Disturbing Feature in
Iron Trade.

New York, March 25.-R. G. Dun's
weekly review of trade today says:
Favorable weather greatly facilitated
Easter retail trade, the volume of tran
sactions in all lines being large. Activ-
ity was by no means restricted TO the
specialties, however, the general distri-
button of merchandise exceeding that
of previous seasons with prices we'll
maintained. A distinct evidence of the
vigor of legitimate trade is found IN
the decline of only 21.4 per cert in
bank exchanges at New York, notwith-
standing the fact that transactions at
the stock exchange were not more than
third of those in the corresponding
week last year while at other leading
cities clearings exhibited a gain of 9.S
per cent over last year and Bib per
cent over 1899.
Demand for an eight hour day af-
ter May by the blast furnace men was
the most disturbing feature in the iron
and steel industry but this is not caus-
ing much alarm as an agreement Will
probably be reached during the inter-
vening month. Production is now be-
You'd all previous records. and the
movement of coke is ample altho the
early opening of lake navigation, may
withdraw some of the transporting IA
cilities which cannot be spared. Buy
ing has been notably active in bars for
implement makers and producers have
u &l, 70, oh n
that new business is not sought. Many
plans for immediate structural work
have been abandoned owing to the in
sufficient supply of available material.
On the other hand there are reports of
reselling contracts for rails and other
supplies by consumers who have Sc
cured larger deliveries than will be
needed. The appearance of this spec
ulative element would be ominous if
quotations We're more excessively in
flated Aside from the advance in bar
iron at Pittsburg and foundry iron at
Chicago there were no important
changes, southern furnace owners hav-
ing decided to postpone the contem-
plated advance. A severe reaction oc-
Cured in cotton, due entirely to the eX-
cessive speculative purchases which
made the market top-heavy. A slight
recovery in coffee from the bottom
price must be attributed to aggressive
option on buying as the statistical po-
sition is not improved, Brazil receipts
exceeding last years high record to
date over a third. A temporary reduc-
ton in refined sugar was quickly re-
stored as the market for raw grades be-
came very strong. Meats again adj
vanced in the face of an easier market,
helpful influence being the largest
single order ever placed for the British
army.
We ,kness anreaied in the cereals
early in the week, when there was GER
l'tain unanimity about encouraging
weather reports and increased acreage.
Subsequently there was partial recov-
cry owing to less cheerful news from
Kansas and Oklahoma, but the net re-
suit for the week was a decidedly low
err range of prices. Wheat exports ma
terially declined from the satisfactory
record of 4,657,625 bushels last week to
only 3,0SS,642 bushels this week, which
compares with 3,936,S32 in the same
week last year. There was a decrease
in western receipts to 7,747,094 bushels,
against 4O52,50S a year. ago, but the
difference in arrivals of corn was less
striking, 976,064 bushels against O.,
6S2,91S bushels year ago. Atlantic
shipments of the minor cereal were on
ly 1884 bushels, compared with p
946,461 bushels in 1901. According to
AN analysis of the official returns by
Liverpool Saturday. there will be only
100000 bushels of wheat in this
country at the close of the crop year,
but this statement is based on exports
for the last four months of half as
much as the record breaking shipment
preceding those months, which is ex-
tremely improbable. A further altera
ton in the figures should be made to
allow for the total underestimate of
crops.