The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-09-27

to handle business offered and the only unfavorable feature in the situation IS the growing tension exerted by the an, thracit coal strike. which now finds cold weather almost here and industries In many lines threatened with interference caused by the enhanced price of bitumin- ous product.
 Collections in a majority of instances remain good, most of .he exceptions De- ing noted at the South, where the feel ing, owing to reported shortages yield of cotton is a trifie less optimistic
 Western jobbing trade reports are almost surprisingly good. At the South heavy rains during the cotton picking so far as affecting the gathering of the crop already open is concerned, but bene- ficial to the late crops in indian Territory Texas and Florida and i'll :act, wher- ever they have fallen.
 At the East business is reported good l in nearly \all branches of the New ' ork dry goods trade and the uotlook Is very encouraging.
 largely on the position of the raw ma | terial is notable. Woolen goods are in an excellent position. In wpmen's wear | fancy fabrics are especial f'-v"r. l Eastern shoe manufacturers note fair value of orders, enough to keep leather firm. though some sales have been made below recent prices
 Tight money is credited wi h some erect in checking the upward march of leather owing to the small margin If profit in business generally.
 Among the industrials the feature of interest is still the enormous demand, greatly in excess If the supply, Tor iron and steel in it's cruder forms. The scarcity of coke is as marked as ever and a number of furnaces are now shut down with ensuing great 'oss to operators who are unable to take advantage of the pre- sent enormous demand. Buying of for oy,I ctn i, ll fIaen nit a d. vices from the central west that con- sumers find difficulty in utilizing some of that already imported. Bessemer pig and steel billet sales are rather larger at Pittsburg than for some time past. Sales for future delivery are readily made al from $21.50 to S22 and for steel billets al $31 to $32. There is still a marked scarcity of steel plates, and a premium of S5 per ton is noted fH Iuick delivery. Structural steel producers are crowded with orders and the unprecedented an- nouncement is made that some orders for bridge materials have been secureed for delivery in 1901 Some finished products are much weaker, tin plates being cut and wires and nails shaded. Some large orders for rails in this country and Cana da have been placed with German and English manufacturers because of the in ability of American mills to accept the business. Foreign coal, iron and steel have advanced as the result of American demand or inquiry, but the feeling grows that with better coke supplies the foreign product will find it less easier to enter into competition with American iron and steel. Hardware continues in unahated activity. Among the other metals tin and copper note weakness in prices.
 Wheat including flour exports for the week aggregate 5077,07o bushels. against o,435, 1928 last week. Wheat exports since July 1 aggregate 6O,614,l35 bushels. against 7S 652 l97 last season. Corn exports az gregate 4,952 bushels. against l9'oOS last week.
 Failures in the United States for the week number ITO against 1s2 last week and l97 in this week last year.
 In Canada for the week 19 against IS last week.