Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-22
CHECKED By IHE GOLD
Midwinter Weather Has Retarded
the Natural Activity in the
Spring Trade.
Country Products Reach the
Highest Price known in
Many Years.
Jobbing Trade in Spring Wear.
ing Apparel Continues i'm
Large Proportions.

l
Weekly Review of Trade today says
"Midwinter weather conditions have
ruled turnout large area with the nat
ural effect of checking mercantile OPP
erations and hampering the movement
of general merchandise and of the prod
ucts of industry. Country products.
particularly eggs, butter and cheese
have continued their upward fight, the
highest price for three years having
been reached in the first named, while
the cereals have remained quite steady,
due largely to better export inquiry for
wheat, offsetting the natural growth
of bearishness induced by the culmina-
ton of the late rise. Specially good re-
ports come from the jobbers of the west
and northwest, but ii is to be noted that
eastern dry goods dealers have booked
large business, limited only on cotton
goods by the unwillingness of sellers to
commit themselves heavily even at the
present advanced prices. Spot cotton
is again stronger, despite the heavy
movement. The facts at hand now
seem to be about the estimate of 10b00.-
600 bales, or about last years yield,
and the feeling is growing that it will
all be needed If present consumptive
demand continues. The wooden goods
industry remains active despite the
strikes in some large mills. Demand
for woman's dress goods is large, plain
fabrics being heavily sold ahead. Heavy
overcoatings for fall wear are well sold
ahead, and suitings are being booked
well. Iron and steel are active, strong
or advancing. Despite all conservatism
pig iron prices tend upward. The sale
of 100000 tons at valley furnaces To the
leading interest at SIS put the price for
the third quarter beyond peradventure.
Compared With a year ago steel blllets
which are selling at $50. or 81 above
steel rail prices, show gain of 80 per
cent over last year. Pig iron, OH the
contrary. has only increased 10 per cent,
and the feeling is that buying by small
er mills will precipitate an advance.
Structural mills are sold ahead to Sep
TENDER, but plate mills are we'll up with
orders. Wheat. including flour exports
for the week aggregate 3,s2a.435 hush
els against 3,175.4s1 last week. and B.
424,302 insthis week last year. Wheat
exports from July 1. 1901, to date (thir-
ty-four weeks), aggregate 17s,sal,S93
bushels against 12S,o15365 last season
Corn exports aggregate 24T,S30 bushels
against 527,365 last week. and 3,267,ssS
last year. From July /. 1901, TO date
corn exports are 22S0e5s0 bushels
against 126,390.149 last season Inter-
Tor distribution shows half of the eoun-
try Is under snow and collections are
fnterfered with. Shoe shipments are
slightly smaller than last week, or this
week last year. but for the season they
are per cent greater. Business fall
ures in the United States for the week
number 224 as against 265 last week,
221 in this week last year, 16s in 1900.
Canadian failures number twenty-four
as against twenty-five last week and
twenty-four In this week year ago"
Dun's Review.
New York, Feb. 22.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'s Weekly Review of Trade today
says: Along the Atlantic coast bust
ness was temporarily checked by the
storm and some Interior points also
suffered from unfavorable weather, but
the consumptive demand gives no evi
dcnce of abatement Prices of perisha-
BILE goods advanced sharply, the whole
range of staple commodities turning
Upward. Jobbing trade in spring lines
Of wearing apparel is of ample proper
tons and all heavy hardware and
products of iron feel the pressure in
that industry. Prospects are most en-
couraging as to the labor situation.
Railway earnings thus far reported for
February show a decrease of hut 3.5
per cent from last years figures, which
is fully explained by weather condi-
tons, while. compared with 1900 there
is an increase of s.s per cent. Bank en-
changes for the week at leading. cities
outside of New York show a gain of
1876 per cent over last years, while the
less at New York is but So per cent
from the total in 1901, which i;s more
than accounted for by a decreased ac-
bvity In the stock market While by
no means inflated beyond the point
fully warranted by urgent purchasers,
prices of pig iron have made decided
advances. despite the opposition OF
leading interests. More imports are re-
ported, but foreign markets are also
now that there is less pros
pect of American competition because
OF the unprecedented home demand.
Railway supplies and structural mate
rial are still the most eagerly sought
of finished steel products. Record
breaking building permits indicate the
business that will be done by struc-
tural mills.