Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-04
.|BE TRADE SITUATION
Satisfaction With the Past and
Confidence For the Future
Are Expressed.
Industrial. Commercial and Fl.
nancial Situation in the
Best OF Condition.
Week Has Been Naturally Dull.
Due to After.FIoliday
Lull.

Weekly HeNleW oil trace tOddy Say >.
Satisfaction with the old. confidence
in the new year, are the dominant feat
cial and financial situation. The week
has naturally been quiet to the verge OF
dullness as regards new business, the
main attention being concentrated in
gathering up the threads OF old bust
ness, In stock taking and in preparation
for the future. A conspicuous exception
to the general quietness Is found in the
iron and steel situation, which gains
rather than loses activity. Here, how
ever. the car shortage question cuts a
disturbing figure, and one which, in
view OF tha advanced stage of the. sea-
son, bids fair to continue to unsettle
both production and consumption con-
ems are piling UP, but the blast furn-
aces are shutting down because Of the
necessary link bewteen the two, an
abundance OF cars not being forthcom-
ing. southern pig iron has advanced so
cents per ton and the trade Ia getting
Its chief supplies from this source. At
the east pig iron is also firmer Plenti-
ful orders are offered. but none is ac-
cepted for delivery before july l. Mesa
ba iron ore has been advanced in price
The only appearance OF weakness In
finished products is in wire ard nails.
which are 81 per ton lower, owing to In
creased competition of outside makers.
Floods in the mining regions have in
terfered with production, and the car
shortage still accentuates. Anthracite
supplies are smaller notwithstanding
total production last year in excess of
$1,000 900 tons, a total IL per cent larger
than ever before produced. Prices show
few changes on the week. The cereals
are on the whole higher, due mainly to
the strength OF wheat, which still sup
ports the coaser grains. Small deHv-
cries and firIn cables. with better ex-
port buying early, checked later by the
advance. coupled with good buying by
the country are the strengthening
features. Winter wheat crop reports
are steady, except lard. which has
weakened slightly. Cotton has been
shaded a little because OF large re-
ceipts, which are. however. claimed TO
really represent good buying for export.
Cotton goods are quiet, as usual at this
date, but closed the year 1901 much bet
ter than they began 1t. Fail River div
idends are slightly lower than the ay-
erage In 1900, with the mills producing
the better class OF goods showing tho
best returns. Ginghams are in spe-
cially good shape, being largely sold
ahead and firm. Wooden goods, tho less
active, are in good shape. and mills are
busdly employed. Wool is steady and
a good movement IL reported. Quiet
ness Is the feature In the leather and
kindred trades. Shoe shipments are
smaller than Of late, but still In excess
Of year ago. Complaints Of small
profits in shoe manufacturing continue
and prices apparently must advance, IL
present rates of leather are to be paid
New prices OF rubber good show an adj
vance of s per cent on a year ago. Cop
per has been again cut, this time to ~
cents for lake, and tin is also lower,
while lead Is unchanged. Brass has
been lowered to meet the decline in cop
per. Wheat Qncluding nour) exports
Tor the week aggregate 4,S1s,47i bu-
shells, as against 4,291,b43 last week and
',914,3e1 in this week last year. Wheat
exports from July to date aggregate
.49, $751; 61 bushels, as against 424,536 last |
week and 4,47o.b21 last year. July 1 to
date corn exports are c0,s2e,451 bushels !
IS against 97,64s,Ss5 last season. Fall
Tres for the week number 27o. as
against PIG last week and 2ss in this
week last year"