The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-19
AIDED BY GOOD WEATHER
DESTRUCTIVE TRADE is SHOWING
4 MARKED INCREASE.
Manufacturing Also Is at Top Figures
The Weeks Price Movements
Weekly Clearings Table.

NEW YORK, April 1S.-R. G. Dun & Co.'S
weekly review of trade tomorrow will say:
Weather conditions have been potent for
good during the past week. Retail distrl-
button, being facilitated. in turn. enlarged
iobbing trade and brought more pressure
on manufacturers for prompt shipment.
Agricultural work was facilitated, and
building operations made rapid progress.
Traffic increased at the interior as the con-
dition Of country roads improved, which
made collections better. Some labor con-
troversies were settled and others were
averted. Complaints are still heard re-
garding tardy deliveries, but freight is less
cOngested and business has increased 10 the
extent of 60 per cent. Larger railroad
earnings are reported for April thus far
than last year and 1853 per cent. over 1900.
Quotations of iron and steel cannot be
considered inflated, but the market is fol-
owing a natural course, despite the efforts
of leading interests TO maintain a c~onserVa-
tive position. Supply and demand must, in
the long run, govern prices, and in this in
dustry needs are greater than available
stocks, although productive capacity has
largely expanded. Pressure for pig iron is
very great, but furnacemen have con-
tracted for their output far into the future,
and consumers who want prompt delivery
are willing to pay premiums. Similarly as
TO steel rails. The regular price of SIS has
become nominal on current business, an
advance of S a ton being readily paid for
immediate delivery. This Is especially no
ticeable on urgent trolley construction.
Specifications for new buildings promise
abundant additional contracts for StruC-
furql material while some mills have al
ready sold their entire output for 1902. Ma
chinery and hardware lines share in the eX-
ceptional activity and are doing a brisk
expor business in spite of high prices.
Cotton goods have not followed the
fluctuations in the raw material, although
it's strength has contributed TO the steadi-
ness of the finished product. The feature
of the week was the Increased inquiry for
export, and mills catering TO this trade are
sold far into the autumn. In the domestic
trade many bids slightly below ruling
prices were not considered, and it is evident
that supplies are in strong hands. Deliv-
cries are being made more promptly yet
there Is no fear of accumulation. Wooden
goods are in less urgent demand, pur-
chasers having secured most of the cloth
which the American company was unable
to furnish owing TO the strike. Buying of
dress goods has decreased, and jobbers are
beginning to go out with fall lines.
Footwear shipments from Boston have
decreased, but jobbers are placing orders
for fall. and the shops are fairly well occu-
pied. Shoe manufacturers are buying
leather more freely, holding prices fairly
steady. except for hemlock sole, which lost
half a cent.
Grain and meats nave continued very
strong. There was some logical explana-
ton of the advance in corn, interior re-
ceipts falling to S57,5 40 bushels for the week,
while Atlantic exports rose to 3S4, S03
bushels, an unusually large total for recent
times, although small by comparison with
the corresponding week in preceding years.
Wheat was sustained by exports from all
ports of LASS, $50 bushels, flour included,
against 4,6lS,S9l a year ago.. Sugar and
coffee have been notably weak, the latter
falling to within a sixteenth of the bottom
record.
Failures for the week numbered 261 in
the United States, against 206 last year,
and "A in Canada, against II a year ago."