The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-29
GENERAL TRADE
 Is STIMULATED
Dun and Bradstreet Send Out
 Good Reports
SCARCITY OF PIG IRON
Coke Commands High Premiums, Ao- eordine to Consumers Needs, and Iron Is Similarly Held In an
 Abnormal Position.

New York, November 2S.-R. G. Dun 6 Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow will say:
 Weather conditions have provided the only import developments of the past week in the business world. Excessive rains in some sections notably the south west, facilitated distribution of heavy footwear, over shoes and kindred lines while seasonably low temperature at oth- CT points increased the movement of win ter wearing apparel These influences to- gether with large thanksgiving trade in food products stimulated retail dealings very materially. Manufacturing plants have orders far ahead. but in many cases the coke shortage retards operations. Railway officials are making every effort to relieve the freight congestion especially in the vicinity of Pittsburg. but thus far there is little evidence of improvement. Gross earnings are fully maintained for November thus far exceeding last year by 6.3 per cent and those of 1900 by 164 per cent, while it is anticipated that higher freight rates will offset the advances in wages sustaining net earnings.
 Inquiries for pig iron become more ur- gent as the scarcity grows more acute. Furnaces are added to the idle list when there is full occupation for every plant in the country but the fuel shortage is not perceptibly improved.
 Coke commands high premiums, accord ing to the needs of consummers, and iron is similarly held at an abnormal position by the insufficient supply. Even foreign pig iron has not arrived at specified dates, while new orders have been placed abroad covering distant deliveries.
 It is fully apparent that domestfcs will continue to exceed available supplies for many months to come. The pressure is less severe in the various finished lines. aside from structural steel and railway equipment. Numerous projected addi- tions to mileage improved terminals and increased rolling stock insure activity at the shops for months to come. Ma chinery houses, boiler works and makers of heavy hardware are all far behind with orders and practically every section of the iron and steel industry Is entirely in control of sellers, prospective purchas- CTS having to make all the concessions Minor metals, on the other hand, are generally weaker, tin being especially de- pressed. Silver bullion has fallen to much the lowest price on record, the in- Lr1nS1C Vdlu6 OI d SlNer uOlldE uoW DS- ing about 39 cents.
 A distinctly firmer tone pervades the market for footwear, orders coming for ward freely for spring goods. The lead ing shoe manufacturers have taken large lots of leather, especially hemlock sole, giving a firmer tone to the market and reducing the stocks. Foreign dry hides are in limited supply and well held. There is still no inclination to place large orders for distant delivery of cotton goods, but a steady current demand ful- ly absorbs the limited stocks and buyers are often compelled to hunt for desired lines of staple cloths. Printed and woven patterned goods for spinning are sell- ing freely on forward business. The bet ter tone that appeared some weegs ago in woolens, and finally caused a moder- ate advance in staple lines for spring.
 Failures number 213 in the United States this week, against 1s2 last year, and 16 in Canada, compared with 25 a year ago.