The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-20
BIC INCREASE IN
HOLIDAY TRADE
Has Exceeded Most Sanguine
Expectations of Dealers
ENTIRE COUNTRY is BUSY
Bradssreet and Dun Note Wholesome
Conditions All Over the United
states-Freight on Iron Ad-
Yanoes 10 Per Cent

New York, December 19.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'S weekly review win say tomorrow:
Holiday trade has exceeded even tho
most sanguine expectations and retail
dealers in all staple lines Of merchandise
are well maintained, with the better
grades of goods IN brisk demand Whole
some conditions prevail in most sections
Of the country. although in parts Of the
southwest the season has fallen behind
the average. Even IN these cases reports
are encouraging for the future. Industrial
plants are well employed, orders running
far into the future and labor eontrover-
sizes are rare The only adverse feature
of the situation is the fact that supplies
of fuel are utterly inadequate both for
household and manufacturing uses, snow
increasing the delay OF deliveries, Rail-
way earnings thus far reported for De-
oenber exceed last years ~ az per
cent. and those of 1900 by 1914 per cent.
Two events of Importance have occurred
in relation to the leading manufacturing
industry The United States Steel corpor-
alton has greatly extended its scope by
absorbing many outside plants and certain
desirable railway connections. The other
was the announcement Of advanced rates
In freight to take effect January l, show
ing an advance of about 10 per cent on
products of iron and steel.
otherwise the situation is practically
unchanged the largest producer having
over $4,000 tons OF untitled orders on It's
books, and work is being rushed as rap
idly as supplies of fuel ana material will
permit. Supplies of coke do not increase
and many furnaces are idle.
Contracts for bridge work and track
elevation are freely offered by the rail-
roads and accepted only on condition that
the exact date of delivery shall not be
specified. Despite the fact that nail mills
are sold close up to the end of the year
no business is offered, and urgent buyers
are compelled to go abroad. New England
producers of boots and shoes are not SEEK
ing new business, which come forward
moderately in the former supplementary
orders. Prices are firmly held, but no
further advance is reported. Although
the shoe manufactures are fairly supplied
with sole leather, there is a steady de-
mand from the smaller shops, and the
hemloclx design was advanced by the
leading producers. Further deterioration
in quality of hides has produced lower
range of quotations in western makes
and heavy receipts of cattle add to the
depression.
A reduction in quotations OF leading
lines of bleached cottons stimulated trad
ing, many buyers having delayed plac-
ing contracts in anticipation of this
change. This division of the textile mar
ket is now in good condition, with no
immediate prospect of excessive supplies.
Otherwise the domestic situation is prac-
tically unchanged, but in export grades
there has been pronounced interest on
the part of buyers, although few new con-
tracts are placed as yet In the wooden
goods market there is a fair volume of
orders, in many cases exceeding avail
able offerings. Worsteds and yarns are
also firm, while a few grades of raw
wool secured another advance. Heavy
arrivals of silk have not weakened the
tone.
Failures for the week numbered 267 in
the United States, against 265 last year,
and 16 in Canada, compared with q a
year ago.