The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-11
BRADSTREET'S
WEEK'SRE:PORT
Favorable Features in the Re-
tail Trade,
THE OUTLOOK is GOOD
All Lines Show Strength and
Failures are Few.

New York. April 1o.-Bradstreets to-
morrow will say:
Favorable features this week are the
annual rush of Easter buying at retail.
which is reported of excellent volume,
some improvement in the reassorting de-
mand with jobbers at interior markets
resulting therefrom and slight but st:ll
perceptible Improvement in the labor Sit
uafion growing out of mutual conces-
sions Prices during the month of
March showed exceptional strength, de-
spite seasonable changes downward in
dairy products, grains and fuel. partly
counteracted, however, byt advances in
live stock and meats. Lumber and buiii-
ing materials of all kinds have remained
in exceptionally good demand in spite Of
numerous strikes, and finished products
In iron and steel show strength, but the
cruder forms, such as pig iron, have
weakened perceptibly, ostensibly because
Of the lowering of quotations of South
ern Iron, but really because. with I'M
proved transportation and better sup
plies of coke, has come enlargement Of
iron products to the highest point ever
known.
1t is. of course, too early to measure
the development of fall trade. Some in
terror markets report good orders, but
large eastern centers not holding back
of buyers of cotton yarns and the demand
for heavyweight woolens is reported to
have been checked by higher prices.
Raw wool has again weakened, though
the statistical position is very strcng.
Railroad earnings are quite favorable,
gross receipts for March indicating an
increase of between 10 and IL per cent
while net returns for February show a
gain of per cent and an increase in
gross receipts of IA per cent. Relative
ly, the best trade reports come from the
leading western markets, but all centers
report satisfactory spring trade done
at wholesale.
The iron situation, as already pointed
out, is one of marked strength in fin
ished, but of unsettled and even weak
ness in the cruder forms. Ncrthern pig
iron has weakened in sympathy with the
readjustment of the southern prices last
week. Foreign markets are also reported
easier. For immediate delivery s2150 is
insisted on for pig iron at Pittsburg
but 500 would be accepted If buyers would
Buyers, however, are not eager and are
holding off, evidently expecting or hop
ing for lower quotations Domestic rail
manufacturers are full of orders, an in
dication of this being reports If American
and Canadian roads inquiring for steel
rails abroad. Structural orders are in
large volume, a notable instance of this
being for requirements for improvements
to plants controlled by the leading in
terests. The strength Of old material Is
a notable feature in the iron trade at
present. Among the other metals. cop
per and tin have weakened again, but
lead retains its old firmness.
The leather situation is generally one
of strength. The spring rush is over at
the eastern shoe manufacturing centers,
but shipments, while smaller than last
week, are heavily in excess of a year ago
The situation in coffee is an interest
ing one. After a decline early in the
week, which brought future deliveries to
the lowest prices ever recorded and on
which decline an extensive liquidation
of the former bull interests was repre-
scented, a slight upturn was noted, due
to reports that Brazil will adopt radical
measures, Sucn as burning surplus sup
plies of low grades. in order to tighten
the load on the market. This is regarded,
however, as hardly possible of fulfillment.
After a further decline, due to dizziness
in the refined market and pressure OF
supplies, raw sugar has steaded IT what
is said by authorities to be the bottom.
Wheat, including -four exports for the
week ending April 8. aggregate 2.63S, 2s5
bushels. against 3.l30,s74 last week, 3.S42,
Oh bushels in this week year ago, and
c. 4O5, col bushels in 1915 Wheat exports
since July / aggregate 15s,212,774 bushels.
against 202. 6s7. s3s bushels last season and
l62 OIL 1872 bushels in 1900.
Corn exports aggregated 2.6o4,s32 bush
els. against 2,ss2,06s bushels last week.
15S SOS bushels a year ago, and 2.SS2 ,ssi
bushels in 1901. For the fiscal year ex-
ports are 49. 500 2es bushels. against 24.e23.-
DO2 bushels last season. and 15o.SI5. ass bush
els in 1901.
Business failures in the United States
for the week ending with April NUM-
Der l5s. against las last week, Isl in the
like week OF 1902; 225 in 1s01: $50 in 1890,
and 23 in 1893