The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-04
BUSINESS MAKES
 A GOOD SHOWING
Only Depressing Feature is the
 AcuteneSs of Coal Situation
IRON MARKET DUETS DOWN
Dun and Hradstreet See Nothing In the General Situation to Cause Depression-steel Mills
 Out of iron.

New York. October s-Bradstreet' to- morrow will say:
 In the almost uniformly favorable re- turns the only depressing note Is the growing acuteness of the coal situation. The returns of failures. clearings and the other items bearing upon the results of the three quarters of the years opera tions at hand point to conditions having been largely favorable and to the un- precedented fall trade. the moving of larger crops at higher prices, immense cattle receipts and unsurpassed indus trial activity are, in a great measure chargeable to ene numerous and heavy gains shown in widely separated sections. Failure returns, too, are almost entirely favorable, the number of endorsements being the smallest with two exceptions, in ten years, and the liabilities being the slightest, with one exception. in twen- ty years.
 Trade telegrams to Bradstreets this week while pointing to some letting up In the heretofore jobbing demand at near ly ali centers-partly the result of reli- gious observanoes-testify to the fall and winter trade already booked having been exceptionally good, in most cases in ex- cess of preceding years, and crop yields. except in some sections. guaranteeing full volume of business in the remaining months of this year. and the early part of 1908.
 Except for a few scattered pessimistie reports from the south, advices from that section are generally of a fair to good trade. with improved collections. At the east a large distribution of dry goods is noted at such cities as Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore Hides and leather are strong and active, and shoe manufacturers are generally employed
 Rather less strength is noted in somo lines of the ron and steel business than heretofore, but the duieting down in the cruder fc1-ns is due to scarcity of fuel ano of pig iron. as much as to the flood of foreign iron. which appears to be steadily increasing Special investige ton shows that receipts of foreign iron and steel in August exceeded 10000 tons, bu- exports of iron and steel sSod their prod ucts, moctiy machinery, are still mor3 than double the imports for that month More inquiry for pig iron for the last half of 1903 is noted at Chicago and new orders for rails, structural materinis and plates cannot be guaranteed daily until the last half of next year. Many steel mills in the Pittsburg district have closed for want of iron. This had resulted in rather lower quotations for Bessemer pig and steel biilets than was the case a year ago. The refusal of ths tin workers to accept lower wages in order that Welsh plates may be shut out has resulted In the shut down of a number of mills. Structural and plate mills are crowded with orders. but sheets have been cut S per ton
 Eastern cotton goods manufacturers re- port quiet demand, but this is as much due to their own unwillingness to sell freely ahead as it is to the consumers desire to walt on the raw cotton marH5t. which more noticeably than in recent yes IS seems to regulate the course of the manufactured products The strength of the foreign demand for this staple has largely offset the much heavier and ear Her moving of the CT op to market Woolen mills are well employed both on re-or- ders for winter trade and as regards spring business, and large interests are reported to be actively buying without this week.
 Wheat, including flour, exports for the week ending October 3 aggregate 6,S70, 5S bushels against 507,o7c last week, o,195,- 749 this week last year and 4.450,167 ,n 1900. Wheat exports since July aggregate 67,- ASA, 713 bushels against 84,S47, ,946 last sea- son and s7,12.6s7 in 1900.
 Corn exports aggregate 14,42S bushels against 74.952 last week, 907. 924 last year and 2.S64. 249 in 1900. For the fiscal year exports are 1.197,234 bushels against 13,- 626.564 last season and H.311, ,661 in 1900.
 Business failures In the United States for the week ending October number 164 as against 1T2 last week, 175 in this week last year, TIT in 1900, ITS in 1899 and 163 in 1898
 Canadian failures not noted.