The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-23

large shipments which seem destined to cause a natural downward drift in prices
 Fall trade is now in full swing at most of the leading centers. Buying of dry goods, shoes, clothing and millinery is liberal. Some sections, particularly the southwest, report the best trade in years. But withal there is a tone of conserva- tism which tends to prevent speculation and any excess which may result in over loading.
 Almost uniformly good reports as to collections come not only from the west and northwest but from many parts of the south. where trade Is picking up.
 Some shading of the rosy crop conditions noted for sometime past is reported In telegrams to Bradstreets. Spring wheat harvesting has been interferred with in some cases by rains but final promise has not been materially impaired. The weather In the corn belt has been too wet and cool for the very best progress of that plant Complaints of hot. dry weather causing shedding of cotton, comes the south, but in Arkansas. in the Memphis district and in the neighborhood of New Orleans, conditions are claimed to be highly favorable. That the crop will be earlier than usual, sems certain. Rice in Georgia, Louisiana and South Carolina promises to be a large yield.
 Raw wool is rather firmer on the whole, based on moderate stocks, the activity of the mills on fall trade account, and the freedom with which the buyers of mems wear material for spring delivery are talk ing hold.
 Lack of fuel threatens to make the shortage In pig iron acute In the Pitts burg district the long standing complaint of car shortage has ventuated in the banking of many furnaces for want of coke, of which there Is plenty at Con- nellsville. Pittsburg appears to have out grown it's railroad yard facilities for one thing and the fear Is expressed that many pig Iron contracts for the second half of this year may remain untitled. A shortage of coke existed at Chicago, how ever, while Baltimore complains of a dearth of pig Iron and foundres shutting down. Some foreign steel Is reaching Chi cago, 10000 tons of billets having been sold there this week, but 1t Is claimed that this material is making little head way a Pttsburg.
 Pig Iron Is In demand at Chicago for southern account, a scarcity of some grades being noted there. Rails and structural material are in as heavy de- mand as ever the country over The ef- fort to induce the tin plate workmen to accept a wage reduction in order to capture orders which would otherwise go abroad, has not as yet, been abandon ed. The wire trade is little stronger but the sheet trade is dull. Hardware Is in exceptional demand as heretofore and machinery manufacturers are very gen erally crowded to keep up with orders
 Wheat and flour exports for the week ending August 21. aggregate 5954, 759 bushels, against 4.591, sO5 last week, and 9S9 in this week last year. Wheat exports since July 1 aggregate 32944 767 bushels against 5O.67s.9S7 last season
 Corn exports aggregate ,649 bushels against ,42S last week and 52asS3 last year. For the fiscal year corn exports are 70S 493 bushels against 9,751,051 last season.
 The shoe and leather trade is in an in- teresting condition. Buying of shoes Is active at western points and manufac- lures are busy. while tanners sales are large. At the east Philadelphia manu- lecturers are busy and sole leather is active The New England industry, while in better shape than for some time past reports little money in the business. Leather tends upward and hides are very strong. Shoe shipments from New Enganu points are showing gradual gains from week to week, but are still below a year ago for the week and season.
 Business failures for the week ending August 21 number 1S1 as against 1S1 last week. 1S1 in this week last year In Canada for the week %, against 23 last year.