The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-06
EXP PANDING TRADE
 IN WINTER GOODS Record Breaking Movement of Iron Ore Shipments Ended LAKE NAVIGATION ENDED Expectations Are Fully Realized In an Enormous Holiday Business,
 While Large Spring Trade
 Is Already Manifest East.
LAKE NAVIGATION ENDED

New York, December 5.-Bradstreets' tomorrow will say:
 Reasonable winter weather, hitherto conspicuously lacking, has come very much into evidence this week with the result of expanding retail in winter goods, rubber and wearing apparel gen. orally. Killing frosts have about put period to the marvellous fall season of 1902 and in the south the cotton crop may be said to be made, so far as further growth is concerned. All the usual seasonabls changes have about come to pass. Dairy products and produce generally are high CT, lake navigation is about over, iron ore shipments have ended after the greatest movement on record, and the wheat crop has gone into winter quarters with fair covering of snow in northern lati" tudes, and with a very generally satisfac- tory condition ruling throughout much of the admittedly very large acreage. Hes sian fly damage to some of the early sown and too rank growth in the south west are the only complaints heard or. Threshing Is about completed in the northwest and farmers display more willingness to part with their products. Cold weather from now on is needed to insure the large movement of corn .ex- pected, as the result of active export and home demand
 The years approaching end finds prices well up to the highest point In eighteen months, although meats, an important element in food supplies, are steadily de- clining on good receipts. Next to the expectations. already partly realized, that an enormous holiday business will be done. the most notable feature is the practical unanimity of opinion that a large spring trade is In prospect, ground for this being furnished by the unprece- dented volume of such business already booked The feature in foreign trade is the turn in the tide of corn exports, which have at least begun to expand after fifteen months of scarcity, high prices and trifling shipments.
 In wholesale dry goods, good spring trade acts as a supporting feature Tor some lines, but it is noted that poor ex- port business has affected brown and bleached cottons, which can be had at easier quotations. Wool is strong and active, and still tends higher, while the manufacturers are busy on orders, Shoes are in better demand at retail and with jobbers, but manufacturers are quiet as yet and eastern shipments are 10 per cent behind last year. Hides are rather weaker as the receipts increase, but good desirable leather is firmly held. Iron trade conditions are quieter In keeping with reasonable changes. This quieting down has strengthened the feeling that lower prices are to rule next year, and hence all buyers who can afford to hold off are doing so. Foreign iron still holds the balance of power in the east, but the control Is not expected to continue long, Western furnaces are in better shape to do work the breaking of the freight congestion helping coke sup plies but fuel is far from, plentiful. Foundry iron is slightly lower for next Mondays delivery, and it Is noted that spot supplies of southern iron still brings S2S while contracts for the last half of 1903 are being made at $19. Steel rails are still actively in demand. Hardware is still quite active, feature being lib- eral ordering for next springs delivery. Among the other metals, tin and copper are stronger. Business failures in the United States for the week ending Thurs day December 4, number 1855 as against 192 last week and 237 in this week last year.
 Wheat, including flour exports, for the week ending December 1 aggregate 5,704,- 40 bushels against 4,179,6S3 bushels last week. 4.6s4. .S64 in this week last year, and 3,432,159 bushels In 1900 Wheat ex- ports since July 1 aggregate l16 746, AS bushels against 132. 23,572 bushels last season and 1,222, ,426 bushels in 1900. Corn exports aggregate 15,103 bushels against 255, 174 last week. s62,S4i last year and b.