The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-21
WEEKLY REVIEW IN
WORLD OF TRADE
Spring Jobbing Trade Earlier
Than Last Year
CAUSE OF TRAFFIC PROBLEM
Price Situation Is Remarkable One.
Country Produce Firm-ouickly
Available Iron Finds a
Ready Market.
CAUSE OF TRAFFIC PROBLEM

New York, February 2o.-Bradstreet s
tomorrow will say:
Winter wheat has retarded, but not
checked spring jobbing trade, which, de-
spite drawbacks, is still far In advance
of "a year ago. Retail has been more
noticeably affected and buying has been
! lessened temporarily. This also further
| accentuated the transporting problem.
The favorable side of the weather situa-
ton is questionably the heavy snow
which has covered the entire surplus
producing winter wheat belt, putting
that plant temporarily at least beyond
danger of seasonable changes Other
Developments of the week have been
mostly favorable.
The price situation indeed, taken as a
whole. is a remarkable one. Country
produce, particularly butter and eggs,
| has displayed exceptional strength, while
| the! great majority of staples retain all
their old steadiness, except where fur
| Their advances are noted as in the case
| OF the cotton goods, which are very
| strong at the highest prices in years.
| Collections are rather better as whole.
| Leather is reported quiet except at the
west where considerable sales at full
prices are reported by tanners. The
sugar market has been unsettled, but
the net changes on the week has been a
slight change on refined despite stories
that jobbers are cutting prices. Coffee
remains steady at a close to the lowest
price on record.
Consumption still leads production in
the cruder forms of iron and steel. Fin
ished materials are in active demand,
but general complaint comes that four
to six weeks Is used up in making de-
liveries, instead of five to ten days. In
creased inquiry is reported by southern
furnaces interests and quickly available
iron finds a ready market, but the scar
city of this article limits business For
eign holders of iron and steel are rather
tirmer in their views In finished pro-
ducts, plates, bars and structural ma
terial and pipe note exceptional activity.
The vexing transportation problem, how
ever, overhangs the entire trade and no
really new developments, certainly none
In the direction of lower prices are pos
sible until this situation is improved.
Wheat. including flour, exports for the
week ending February 10. aggregatlng q
713. 1852 bushels, against 1856 439 last week.
Cot ton reached and passed 10 cents this
week, heavy speculative buying being re-
ported in New York, New Orleans and
Liverpool.
While this perhaps was largely man,pu-
lative. additional strength was given by
the reduced movement of the crop
claimed to be due to bad weather. over
and beyond all. however, was the
strength impaired by the active demand
for finished products reported, 1t being
a sellers market for nearly all classes
of cotton goods. The advance In the
price of cotton yarns is reported to have
discouraged business, but manufacturers
t.n.y dana a a
business. Wool has been dull and firm
on reports for active employment Tor
mill machinery and some available
stocks of raw material