The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-02
WEEKLY TRADE REVIEW
OUTLOOK GOOD FOR THE FALL
AND WINTER.
The Iron and Steel Situation Still
Strong, But Isolated Examples
of Weakness are in
Sight.

New York. Aug. 1.-Bradstreets tomor-
row will say: Trade is quiet while at
tention is concentrated on crop and in
| dustrial Developments Generally lower
prices for farm products point to the
| former being largely favorable Though
weather conditions of late have been
| more favorable, effects of earlier back
ward weather have not been effaced or
repaired. The best is predicted for the
fall and wtpter outlook. In Industrial
affairs the Sutlook Is satisfactory The
iron and steel situation Is still largely a
strcng one, but isolated examples Of
weakness are in sight. The railway sit
uation is one of the best in years. and
the outlook as to tonnage is a fiattering
one. marred only by the prospect Of car
shortages later on, reducing or curtailing
Industrial operations Fiscal years earn
ings returns are exceptionally good and
1t is probable that taken as whole, the
exceed 1901 despite reduced anthracite
coal carriers earnings. Cotton has
weakened quite steadily on reports Of
good growing crop conditions. though
rain and flood damage reports from Tex
as helped to steady prices on some days.
Dry goods trade reports are quiet. Some
Improvement is noted at Eastern mar
kets but the fall jobbing trade proves to
be later than usual in arriving Some
weakness in sheetngs and other cottons
is noted in wholesale circles. Spring
styles In woclens opened this week are,
as predicted, shown at advances over last
season.
Wool, though quiet, is steadier and high
err grades are held several cents per
pound higher than last year. New bust
ness in shoes at Boston Is confined largely
to sample lots. Shipments, after tenn
pOrary squirt are again shrinking. Leath-
er Is in better demand, but tanners COM
plain of high cost OF hides, while shoe
ma nufacturers note high cost of leather
and low cost Of their finished product.
New business in pig iron for 1908 Is still
of goOod volume. but not so active as
earlier. Current deliveries are still de-
lay ed or insufficient though helped out
by freer importdtlons of foreign iron. The
production of the fiscal year ending June
80 was in excess of 100000 tons. the out
put in the first half of 1902 exceeding all
records. II the reduction in stocks ana
the increased imports are considered. con-
sumption Of $4,000 tons In excess OF this
is shown to have occurred and the estl-
mated output Of 1900, 600 tons for the cal
endar year Ia seen to be practically need
ed Fully one-half of the steel rail out
put for 1898 is already booked, and struc-
tural mills are also heavily sold ahead.
sheets are quiet and wire is dull. Hard
ware is active, especially for building.
The 1901 record of building VIII be sur
passed this year. Lumber Is stronger
and higher at the West and is recovering
from summer dullnes at the East Re-
ceipts and shipments are far ahead of
last year at all points, ..., -. A..
Wheat, including -four, exports Tor the
week ending July 81. aggregate 4,SS8 bSi
bushels, against 3,9SO,969 last week and
6 463, 39I in this week last year. Wheat
exports since July l aggregate lS,loSS4o
bushels, against 26,2Ol. BS last season.
Corn exports aggregate &.4o5 bushels,
against 1851 last week and o6S,eO4 last
year For the fiscal year, corn exports
are $3.50 against 7,727,6i7 last season;
Business failures for the week ending
July 81 number 16S as against ITS last
week, 100 in this week last year, 11S In
1900, 1855 in 1899 and 1S9 in 1895.