The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-09
WEEKLY TRADE REVIEW
SUMMARY OF SITUATION BY R.
 G. DUN & co.
Bright Prospects in Agricultural Sections Far Outweigh the Ad- verse Influences of Labor Dis
 putes which Retard Trade.

New York, Aug. S.-R. G. Dun and Company's weekly review of trade tomor- row will say:
 Bright prospects in agricultural sections far outweigh the adverse influence of la- bor disputes which are still retarding trade and manufacture. Confidence in the future is unshaken, dealers every where preparing for a heavy fall trade, while contracts for distant deliveries run further into next year than is usual at this date. Railway earnings are fully sustained, the latest returns showing an average advance of 3.9 per cent over the corresponding time last year and A.8 per cent over 1900. Aside from the fuel scarcity and some congestion of traf- fic, the iron and steel situation continues propitious. Coke ovens in the Connells- vile region maintain a weekly output of about 250,000 tons and find ready buyers at full prices Much more could be used to advantage. Thus far the imports have had little influence on domestic prices, except as to billets, which are freely off, fered below the home market level New contracts for pig iron were placed this week covering deliveries in the second quarter of 1903 and structural material IS desired for bridges and buildings that will not be received until even more re.
 
 trade is fully sustained but thene is idle ness at tin plate mills and glass facto- ries.
 The tone of the footwear market Is firmer, although actual advances have been few. Hides continue their upward movement. Both domestic and foreign hides share the better feeling, the form CT being at about the top record Dry goods buyers are coming into this mar ket to a considerable extent, yet without placing orders of any size. Cotton goods exporters are practically out of the mar ket, prices in China being below the point where the profit Is possible. A few lines of cotton are fractionally lower and further declines are possible. Private ad- vices dc not endorse the official state ment of a lower condition on cotton plan tstions. Further lines of worsteds have been opened with an advance in keeping with last weeks quotations and an indi- cation of stability is the lack of specuia- tive purchases. Raw wool Is fully sus- tained at recent advances, the average of one hundred grades showing a gain of nearly a cent as compared with the level of May 1.
 Splendid growing and harvesting condi- tions have prevailed in most sections of the country, especially where the larger and more important crops are raised. It Is now almost certain that the agricultu- ral returns will be far above the average as to quantity. while the low stocks at the opening of the session are calculated to sustain prices and there Is little pros pect of a return to the low quotations of preceding years of bumper productions. Foreign commerce at this port is still less favorable than in the same last week last year, exports declining $3,775,690, while imports increased slightly.
 Failures for the week number 196 in the United States against 173 last year and 14 in Canada against 31 a year ago.