Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-12-27
| New York.

guine expectations and re-
tail business in all staple lines of mer-
chandlse is we'll maintained, with the
better grades of goods in brisk demand.
Wholesome conditions prevail in most
sections of the country, although in parts
OF the Southwest the season has fallen
behind the average. Even in these eases
reports are encouraging for the future"
The foregoing is from the Weekly Trade
Review of r. G. Dun & Co. 1t con-
tnues:
Industrial plants are we'll employed,
orders running far into the future, and
labor controversies are rare. The only
adverse feature of the situation is the fact
thas supplies of fuel are utterly made
quate, both for household and manufac-
turing uses, snow increasing the delay in
deliveries. Railway earnings thus far re-
ported for December exceed last year
by AZ per cent and those of 1900 by
1O.4 per cent.
Two events of Importance have occur
red in relation to the leading manufacture
ing industry. The United States Steel
Corporation has greatly extended it's
scope by absorbing many outside plants
and certain desirable railway connections.
The other was the announcement of ad-
vanced freight rates to take effect JAM
1, showing an average increase of about
10 per cent on products Of iron and steel.
Otherwise the situation is practically I'M
changed, the largest producer having over
$3.50, 600 tons of untitled orders on its
books, and work is being pushed as rap
idly as supplies of fuel and material will
permit
Supplies of coke do not increase and
many furnaces are idle. Contracts for
bridge work and track elevation are free
L. offered by the railways, and accepted
only on condition that the exact date of
delivery shall not be specified. Despite
the fact that nail mills are sold close UP
to the end of next year new business is
offered and urgent buyers are compelled
to go abroad.
49,. If one goes back for
| I0lP1H0 period of years, it viii be
found that there has al
ways been tight money in December, e1-
cept when the country has been at the
low ebb of prosperity. From the one eX-
IRENE of December, 1898, when there
were millions of dollars seeking profitable
employment at lowest rates Of interest.
while the holders yet feared to let it
out, hard times prevailed and the coun-
try languished. to the other extreme Of
December, 1902, when, the need of
money is so great that there is scarcely
enough of it obtainable to do the busl-
ness of the country, is a far remove.
Conditions could not be more sharply
contrasted. The stress Of money scarcity
has been more severe this year because
the country is the more prosperous, and
for this reason there may be continu-
ance of the present situation longer into
the new year than usual, but matters will
right themselves eventually.
When the figures for 1901 are compil-
ed, it will be found that in all lines OF
commerce we have done more than III the
previous year. The one item Of over
shadowing Importance on the reverse side
is the enormous falling off i'll exports
of corn. We did not have the corn to
sell abroad. The coming year will see
great change We are already beginning
to catch up, and will finally wipe out the
unfayorable showing due to the corn crop
failure of one year.
The wheat market remains in waiting.
The price tendency is not clearly defined.
A multitude of arguments on the bear
side were brought out during the week,
and in consequence moderate declines
were forced. May wheat sagged off frac-
tionally, yet it cannot be said TIL? there
is any less confidence i'll the market tor
a long pull Whatever bearish features
may be brought to the front. they cannot
have any effect upon prices While the
foreigners continue sending inquiry to
our seaboard markets for good milling
wheat, as they have been doing this past