The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-01
CHECKED TRADE.
But Stormy Weather Means Much
For the Future.

r or the uGurc
New York. Feb. 1.-Bradstreet's to-
day say:
THE future may be said this week to
have profted at the expense of the
present. In other words, current wealth
er conditions. such as heavy snowfalls
east, west and north. tend to check
buying, except of purely seasonable
goods at retail, and to limit Slightly the
volume of demand in wholesale lines.
On the other hand, the covering of the
entire northern half of the country with
a blanket of snow has bettered the Sit
uation of the winter sown crops. and
the outlook for spring trade as whole
has, therefore, been greatly improved
No diminution in confidence in large
spring business is reported, though
southern trade advices continue unsat-
isfactory. Northern and western buy
erS are calling for deliveries on spring
account much earlier than usual, an en-
couraging feature, as indicating that
unsold stocks of winter goods are not
excessive. Other developments of the
week are in the main favorable. al
though the car situation has measure
ably improved and the iron furnaces in
the Chicago district have generally re
sumed, the acute conditions as to actual
sellers of pig iron have been little
changed
Considerable irregularity is noted in
prices of cereals, hog products and cot
ton. Wheat strengthened early in the
week on Bradstreet's report of heavy
decrease in the visible supply, but
weakened later on with improved win
ter wheat crop prospects. Corn has
displayed rather more strength than
wheat, number of diverse influences
operating, while in oats the feature was
a spectacular break of 5 cents bushel
one day, most of which was, how
ever, later regained. Hog products
have weakened slightly, although re-
ceipts have been moderate, while butter
and country products generally have
strengthened on colder weather. Sugar
is 3-16 of a cent higher on light re
ceipts and refiners buying Coffee is
weak and lower on the continued heavy
receipts and poor consum ption-
Business failures in the United
States for the week number SO3, as
against 292 last week, 23S in this week
last year, III in 1900. POI in 1899. and
295 in 1898.
Failures in the Dominion of Canada
number 4S, as against "a last week, q
in this week a year ago and 81 in 1900"
WHAT DUN SAYS.
r. G. Dun & Co.'S Review of Trade
says:
Despite some drawbacks. the BUSH
ness situation continues satisfactory,
with especially good news from manu-
featuring centers. Labor disputes are
somewhat more numerous and low
water stopped mills in parts of the
northwest. Special lines were stimu
lated by seasonable weather, but the
same influence affected others ad-
verSely.
have stubbornly resisted imitation of
prices, the urgency of consumers has
attracted more importa tions Distant
deliveries are undertaken by domestic
producers but where immediate ship
mentS is required, it is often impossible
to prevent foreign makers securing the
business. Last years official statement
showed a considerable loss in exports of
some finished products of iron and steel
and this was doubtless due to the same
pressure by home consumers that is now
ir7f1 he
not in competition with producers here
but because early deliveries cannot be
made.
Footwear shops in New England
have large orders for spring goods and
are still busy on seasonaule lines, while
weekly shipments continue to exceed
those of last year. Wholesale buyers are
in the Boston market, but show an in
clination to delay placing contracts at
the present advanced prices. Hides have
declined still further. Textile mills are
we'll occupied and the lack of accumu-
lations in first hands gives a strong
tone to the market, though there is
much evidence of conservatism among
buyers. While the size of the cotton
report remains uncertain it must exert
a quieting influence on goods. Fewer
lines of new woolens have been opened
than were expected. The raw material
is sustained by brisk competition and
firI-prices at the London wool sale.
Foreign buying of wheat was not
perceptibly stimulated by the lower
outgo, aggregating 3,764S73 bushels for
the week, flour included, compared with
3.324,75 bushels year ago Consump-
ton of wheat as fodder or holding back
for higher prices prevents the big yield
from swelling receipts, which for the
week were 2,S40,0S1 bushels, against
2,775 975 bushels last year. The reduced
yield of corn is reflected in interior ar
rivals of only 2.27s,364 bushels, COM
pared with 1905 962 bushels a year ago,
while the high price is responsible for
Atlantic exports of 331 $50 bushels.
against 2.41S,013 bushels last year. Con-
f1icting statements hold the cotton mar
\ ket in suspense, but there is no uncer-
| tainty as to the unparalleled yield of
coffee, which put the price within a frac-
| ton of the lowest point on record
Liabilities of commercial failures
| during four weeks of January aggre-
gated $12, 902 007 of which So. 6S3, 1872 were
| in manufacturing $6,435. 1884 in trading
and s7S2631 in other strictly CONNER
! cial lines. Aside from a few exception
| ally heavy defaults, the showing is very
4 good as to manufacturing. Large de-
| creases appear in liabilities as compared
with last years failures in iron, ma
chinery cotton, lumber and chemicals"
Highest Point Ever Reached.