The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-12
OPTIMISTIC WEEKLY REPORT
FURNISHED BY BRADS GREET.
Promising Crops, Increasing Railroad
Earnings and Activity ia the Iron and
Other Industries Are Recorded.

New York, July H. Bradstreets tomor.
row win say Warmer and more settled
weather in many sections has helped seas
enable trade and made II possible to asccr-
tain that the earlier reports Of grain crop
damage from rains were rather eNagger-
atcd, Among the industries iron and steel
stll rank hrst in activity The chief source
OF complaint is the scarcity OF coal and
coke, limiting pig iron production at a
critical period. The labor situation has
rather Improved IL anything. Railway earn.
ngs thus FAR reported for June tthe an
thracte roads excepted show an aggregate
gain OF per cent on last year and all re-
ports as to probable crops aud trade point
TO the maintenance of q heavy Tonnage,
The strength Of food prices, particularly
of cereals and meats is based on small
immediate available supplies rather than
fears Of possible future shortage Except
for wheat, the highest prices paid for ten
or twenty years past at this tine are
being paid.
Textile and other manufactured goods
tend lower aud thus affect the general
level OF values The ability TO pay the
prices ruling IN the past year is one Of the
best evidences Of the prosperity prevailing
y
matter is shed hy the reports from all parts
OF tho country OF enormous passenger traf
he BY rail aud water during the first week
OF July, Failures are down to a low sum
mer minimum,
1t Is significant fact in view Of the
recent crop damage talh. that the govern
ment report for July shows that winter
wheat, oats, barley, rye and may all im-
proved In condition during June, and spring
wheat alone lost a trine, rue bumper
crop of corn Indicated In these columns
for some time past due to large acreage and
good condition. seems meQsureahly within
sight, in view OF the agricultural depart.
mcnt report that most OF the leading states
are above 30. This report Is taken to In
dtcste not far from 2,6uuUOCOO bushels,
a total never hitherto reliably estimated.
The wheat crop, despite drawbacks, prom
iSes stu to be onehtth above the ten year
average, and the Indicated oats production
mas never yet been equalled. Tue barley,
rye, potato and fruit crops all promise
better than IA year ago. Trade in season.
BILE goods at wholesale has been restrict.
ed hut warmer seasonable weather has
helped retail business. ran business has
been Of good proportions at the West and
clothing and shoes have done especially
well at ST. Louis, Shut downs of Schuyl-
XII, Lehigh, Mahoning and Shcnango val
ley furnaces because OF lack Of fuel re-
duceS the volume Of iron production. when
their full production could be advantageous.
ly handled Rails are in unprecedented
demand and 90 per cent of the cOuntry's
arranged for. In structural shapes and
other heavy forms also, demand Is eager
and six months production is easily On the
order books, Import arrivals of iron aud
nuletg are large In some lines, however,
notably tin plates, wire. sheets and bars,
new business Is slack, Hardware Is In
very active sale, feature being large
business In all lines already booked.
Cotton goods are quiet ut the East after
the recent price reyisionS Some business
tor export 10 India Is reported, but Chinese
trade Is quiet. Raw cotton has fuctuated
with weather reports, while spot cotton
has been unchanged, The Eastern wooden
goods trade Is in quite good shape. Wool
is firm aud working higher and spring
woolens will it is expected, open to 10
per cent higher. Lumber Is rather less
active than Of late, white pine particularly
SO, but stocks are small and no great
decline is expected.
Preliminary reports Of export trade for
the fiscal year shows the smallest exports
OF hreadstuffs for four years past, due TO
the shrlnkage I'm corn and oats, more than
oifseitinR probably the largest wheat ship
mcntS on record. High prices for cattle
checked exports also, but provision ship
nlonts have broken all records Cotton eX-
ports are to per cent below last years
record breaking total. but petroleum ex-
ports were never before equalled. The ag.
greEatc Of exports OF brcndstuGs, coal aud
provisions, cotton and petroleum Is l6 per
cont below lnst year, but stil 10 per cent
larger than two years ago. which was up
to that time the greatest ever recorded