The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-15
WEEKLY lRADEREvIEW
SITUATION AS SEEN BY DUNN
 AND BRADsTREET.
Business Continues to Progress eatis- {, sfactorily, Despite Heavy Losses Through the Elements-The
 Basis is Solid.

New York, Feb. H-R. G. Dun q co. 2 weekly review of trade tomorrow will say; Business continues to progress sat- isfactorily notwithstanding heavy losses through the elements, Neaw Year block ade being closely followed by fires and explosions destroying much property and retarding traffic. It Is only another evi- dence of the solid basis upon which the nations industries are established that in each case plans for rebuilding on a grander scale were made before thu shock of tho catastrophe had fully passed. The labor situation was distinctly i'm. proved during the past week. A slight decrease of 3.5 per cent. In railway earn iHgs for the first week of February. as compared with vhe same week of last year. was not surprising in view of the m movement of grain.
 In the iron and steel industry it is now being demonstrated that there IS such thing as too much prosperity. During E marvellous expansion >in domestic business that the capacity of furnaces and mills as well as transporting facin- ties have failed to keep pace. The re- deliveries and tendency of buyers to send orders abroad whenever needs are urgent. One case is now in evidence of steel rails to be delivered at Florida port which, ;x after paying the ,Ss duty Tii domestic price. Yet home producers are fully sold up to about September 1. Ac- cording te The Iron Age. pig iron DO. duction during Jan9ary N VI wss at ths record or reduction in furnace stocks indicated that Is stiii remarkable that these stocks are now only 14, 200 tons these. stocks are now only 154.seo tons tons while during that time the weekly out put Increased from 223, 169 tons to 34o, o,612 on February 1, 1902. Unfortunately the present production is below this record breaking figure, because the recent storm disorganized the freight movement and many furnaces are now banked through lack of coke. .a
 An unusually large number of buyers in the Boston footwear market recently advanced prices
 In the textile industries there is notable strength and activity in silk goods. de- spite slight shading of raw silk. Liberal brought gradually expanding demand. except on Southern orders, which are be- low expectations. Stocks of cottons. light weight woolen goods and worsted fabrics are short and deliveries are often later than the specified date. Print cloths advanced but quotations are generally steady with the tendency against buyers and many lines of woolens have already been withdrawn.
 Higher prices were the rule in the
 
 ples. v,
 Interruption to movement by deep snow and the holidays was not sufficient ex- planationso of the decrease of Western re- ceipts of wheat to 2,2si. s52 bushels against 2.940.36S last year. or of corn to 1851, 800 bushels compared with 4.loe.s3e a year ago. If present high figures are not at- tractive enough to bring out a more lb- eral movement there Is evidence of light supplies and prospect of continuous strength. On the other hand. some neu- tralizing influence must he recognized in exports of wheat. flour included. from all ports of the United States. aggregating only 3.4?s,s2o bushels. against s.ss3,o53 bushels last year. while Atlantic ports sent out but 3ssp75 bushels of corn com pared with S,92S.692 year ago.
 Cotton was even more vigorously ad- vanced Middling uplands attaining the top point of the crop year. The late movement will be of little benefit to pro- ducers. however, since over 5000, 900 bales have been marketed and much of the balance has been undoubtedly passed in- to the hands of factors.
 Failures for the week numbered 240 in the United States against 257 last year and 33 in Canada against last years 4o.