The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-10
BRADSTREET ON TRADE.
UnexceIled Distributive Demand in
All Lines Mt High Prices.

NEW YORK, May 9.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say:
Improved weather conditions furnish
the keynote for the more cheerful tone in
distributive trade. Copious rains, while not
repairing all the damage to winter wheat
done by the recent drought in Kansas, seem
to have put the rest of the crop out of
anything like immediate danger. 1t has
also placed the ground in excellent condi-
ton for the later crops, such as corn and
oats. The situation in manufacturing gen
orally may be summed UP in the one word
activity the only important exception To
this being noted in the wooden industry,
which is interfered with by strikes. The
unsettled anthracite coal situation also
overhangs the Eastern trade situation, but
the bituminous industry reports wide
open activity. Iron and steel trades
are still pushed TO the utmost
tension to keep up with the cur
rent demand Building and all lines de-
pendent thereon are active, despite the IN
creased cost of lumber and OF builders
hardware and the higher prices of labor.
Prices, particularly of food products, show
practically undiminished strength, four
ifths of all staples being as high, If not
higher, than a month ago., while only one
fifth are lower; while. as compared with a
year ago, four-1fths of all prices have adj
vanced.
The feature in iron and steel is the
scarcity Of supplies of pig iron and the
strength Of the demand for finished prod
ucts, particularly structural materials,
what few rails are available and little ton
mage can be secured OF bars and plates.
Some scattered lots of standard rails have
brought 49, per ton this week, against the
nominal price of SIS per ton. Structural
material sales have been very heavy this
week at Pittsburg. The mills are reported
10 have orders six months head. Bessemer
MIC iron ia nafiyp and nniRk dDlfNarfnE
will easily bring $50. while steel billets are
selling at $33 so. The only branches of the
trade which are approximately UP with the
demand are the tin plate and sheet in
dustrieS.
Little or no decrease in the demand for
lumber is noted. though higher prices and
higher wages demanded are reported to
have interfered with some contemplated
work at Western points. Builders hard
ware is apparently sympathetically higher
in price. though the formation of the new
hardware jobbers' combination is credited
with some effect. Eastern shoe-trade ad-
vices are of a heavy number Of orders
coming in, and shipments are certainly
larger than for some time past, but are
still below those Of a year ago for the
week and for the season. Leather is quiet,
as a whole, but hides are stronger.
Good cables and the large decrease in
wheat supplies reported by Bradstreet's
were a source OF strength early In the
week, but there was heavy liquidation on
the bulge, which was accentuated by the
better advices as to wheat from the South
west and the generally improved condition
of the concededly immense acreage in corn
and oats. These conditions, dealing with
the future, seem to have rather overshad-
owed the admittedly strong situation of i'm
mediate supplies, particularly Of wheat,
which are smaller than one or two years
ago and only relatively slightly larger than
the high-priced year of 1898.
Prices of the manufactured textiles re-
main as strong as ever. The situation of
wool at the East is affected by the inter
ruption caused by strikes, but stocks are
low there. Wool is active at a higher range
than a year ago at the West, and at Lon
don a further advance is noted, so that the
ending of the present labor troubles con-
tains important possibilities for the raw
material.
Wheat exports. including flour, for the
week aggregate 1902, 20 bu, against 5,90S, 155
last week and 4,178,S72 last year. Wheat
exports from July l to date aggregate
219, l67, 062 blu, against 179, S95. $50 last sea-
son. Corn exports aggregate 126, 755 blu.
against 128.679 last week and 1~,5S3,S31 last
year. From July l to date corn exports
are 25,6 Cos. 619 bu, against 157,017,542 last sea-
son.
Business failures for the week in the
United States number 179. against ia last
week, 1913 in this week last year and ia in
1870.