The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-25
BRADsTREET ON TRADE.
All Lines OF Trade Benefited by the
Better Transportation Facilities.

fHcII1t1eN.
NEW YORK, Jan. A-Bradstreet's to-
morrow Will say:
Events of the week have been largely ia
vorable, notable among these being the
continued steadiness OF general prices
though cereals have weakened slightly. as
a reflection of continued liquidation. ac-
CELEBRATED this week by the arrival OF much
needed snow I'm the Western half of the
winter wheat belt, a further expansion in
spring trade at leading jobbing centers and
renewed interest by exporters in wheat
though irregularity in prices still tend TO
discourage heavy trading. while the slight
strengthening i'm cotton prices is based
largely on continued confidence I'm future
values and the very heavy export move
Tnent now going on, shipments for the sea-
son being nearly $4,000 bales larger than
a year ago. Railway earnings stin fail to
confirm bearish predictions. and the inn
provement in the car situation in January
does not seem TO have been at the expense
of receipts. Clearings are smaller than a
year ago, because speculation is at a very
low ebb, but distributive trade probably IS
larger even than that of a year ago
The strength of the iron and steel mar
kets remains unchanged. Though on the
surface demand is quieter. the improve
ment in the car shortage situation makes
conservatives to prevent prices reaching
heights which might discourage consunIn,
ton are not altogether successful. evil
denced by the sale of 1900 tons of pig iron
at Birmingham at advanced prices More
Is doing than usual at this time in iron ana
steer, ana the mills never had so many ad-
vance orders booked. Bar iron is 81 higher
at Chicago and all other finished products
are active and strong. A feature there ia
the sale of $4,000 tons of malleable iron for
delivery in the second half Of 1902 at fun
prices. In other metals irregularitv is still
a feature, weakness being manifested in
copper, which fails to develop consumptive
demand.
Complaints of small margin OF pros,
In print cloths and similar goods still con-
tinue TO come from New England Fin
ished goods are said to be selling below
parity with cost of gray cloth. and busi-
ness in staple cottons is reported indif-
ferent. Jobbers, however. are reported
busy opening spring styles OF prints and
ginghams and meeting with satisfactory
recognition. Dress woolens continue in
good demand. The mems wear market is
in excellent shape, a large quantity of new
business having been booked. Raw wool
is fairly active and the tone is firm.
Eastern shipments of boots and shoes on
orders continue in excess OF year ago,
the gain so far in January being II per
cent The feeling is that jObbers may hold
off in the hope of affecting the price OF
leather.
AS intimated a week ago. the decline
in sugar appears TO have been overdone
Immediate requirements Of cane sugar for
refiners' use have been in excess OF re-
ceipts. and prices have been marked up n
of "A cent for raw, with the market strong
at the advance, while refined grades have
improved ten points in sympathy. A Sc
we're break in coffee prices occurred this
week as result, primarily, OF continued
heavy movement.
Heavy SHOWS in the lumber regions have
aided logging operations. but I'm the great
consumptive markets the winter has been
an open one. and building operations have
gone on with less than the usual interruD-
ton, with the result that stocks are report
ed small and prices firm. That disadvan-
tages are connected with the open win
ter. however. is proved by the reports Of
dizziness in rubber goods
Wheat. including -four. exports for the
week aggregate 3.S39 679 bu. against ! $40. 202
bu last week and ASSETS bu in this week
last year. Wheat exports from July 20 date
aggregate 1916 .152 bu, against 111.O02.372
bu last season. Corn exports aggregate
1880 bu. against Dos, 093 bu last week and
3.S72, 152 bu last year. From July date
corn exports are q. 237 bu, against ILL.,
702 9l2 bu last season.
Business failures in the United States
for the week number 292. against 29l last
week, PSI in this week last year and 252 in
1900