The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-06
WINTRY WEATHER STIMULATES
COUNTRY'S RETAIL TRADE.
Prices Generally at Highest Point
in Eighteen Months. Accord
me 10 Bradstrert'>.

H-w York. Dec. 5-Rradstrset' to-lnor-
row will say:
SeasunabI- winter weather. hitherto ~comspiSu-
ously lacking. has come very much into evideTn-
tgis week. with the result of expanding retail
trade in winter goods. rIb6ers and wearing APP
parel generally.
Killing .rosts have sb0u; put a period g,
the marvellous fail SEASONS Of sSg2. and in the
Sru.h III. cotton C.o5 may he said to he made,
80 far as further growth Is concerned.
All The usual ssaSonable changes have about
cone 10 pass. Dairy products and procure gen
e-aIIs are higher. lake NAVIGATION IS about over.
lion ov s!iiplaeIts hay" ended. after the great
ct movement on reco:d. and The wheat crop
has gone into winter quarters with 4 fair cover
ing u: Snow in uoithern lst!tadss and with a
YER. sen.rely satisfactory condition railing
throughout much % the admittedly Es'y lHge
acreage.
HrsSian-av damage to some of tie esyly-sown
End too rank grO- tn in the Southwest and the
comulairts beard Of. Thrashing is about com
p!"tc In the Northwest and farmers display more
Willingness to part with Their piou'''s. Ga
weather from now out is needed TO insure the
large movement II corn expected as the result
Of actiy. Export and hpm" demand.
The year's approaching end :iuGS prices .ei! mp
to thu highest point in eighteen months. though
meats. an important element IN food supplies.
are steadily declining On good receipts. Next 10
the expectations. already partly realized. that an
enormous holiday business would b" done. the
most notable feature Is the pracIica! nuan'mitv
Of opinion that Il large spring trade is In pros
poet. lIOCud :"r ibis being furnished by 1h- uu-
preGe'ient,I yoiume III SIGH business already
booked.
Inc feature in foreign trade IS the tUrI in the
tide Of corn exports. which Ease At last L"2tr
10 ryI.and after fifteen months u scarcity. high
prices and trifiing fipTn-E'S.
In Wholesale dry goods good spring t!ace acts
as Il supporting feature tor some lines. LIt II
Is noted that poor export business has affected
brown and bIeacE.d "prtUus. which can b~ Rad Al
frtl tends higher, wf.le the manufactures Ire
busy On orders.
Sh7"s are in better demand al retail with job
fs-rs. hut the manufacturers are quiet ~ Vet
ard eastern shipments " per cent behind last
var. Hides arr rather weaker as IN. :ene!yts
Increase. but sDoi desirable leathe. Is firmly
Iron t,-,de conditions are quiet, in keeping with
eeasonahIr changes. This quietIng down has
rue next year. and hence alt buyers who can al
ford 10 hold off. Foreign iron still holds IN.
balance OF power In the East, bat the "urtrOi
= not -N!acted to continue long. Western f.r-
naccs are in better shape - do work. th. DTeaA-
ing o. the freight congestion helping coke sup
piles. hut -h!s fuel is Sill far from ~-!sutifu!.
Foundry iron is still slightly lower Tor a.xt
months delivery. and it il noted that spot sup
plies Of southern iron sin bring <E3. while con-
1T SlF. Steel rails are still actively in demand.
Hardware Is st'il quite active. the feature being
liberal ordering for next spring delivery. Among
TN" Other metals tin and copper al" stronger.
BUSINESS failures in the United states for tho
week ending Thursday. December 4. number lS5.
a. against lss las; week and 80 in tkis week last
year.