Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-24
BUSINESS is GOOD.
Commercial Situation Throughout the
Country Improving.


Review says: Excessive moisture in
of merely bad roads, is an apparent
drawback to distributive trade.
Over against this, however, is to be
placed an Improvement in the jobbing
trade at some leading western GEN.
tiers, a shade better than heretofore
reported collections, a perceptible cas-
ing of the car shortage trouble and
increased strength in the iron and steel
trades.
The Easter season is one of the lat
est on record, but the actual spring
weather conditions are operative. The
next two weeks will see applied the
test of demand in the retail lines
Gross railway earnings for the first
half of March show an aggregate gain
over last year Of fully 10 per cent.
4 In prices feature is further slight
Strengthening of cotton.
/ The feature in the cereal markets
! has been the general easing of prices,
lsympathized in by pork and lard,
among the hog products, namely the
result of increased pressure of sup
plies and smaller export business.
The strength of prices is the lead
ing feature in iron and steel at all
markets both at home and abroad.
Finished materials are still active the
country over Wire and wire products
Iare especially active and tin plate
mills are running full time. Hardware
is active at all markets. Lead is high
ier on the week, but copper and tin
are lower.
4 Wheat, including flour, exports for
the week are 2,396,000 bushels, against
l4,326,000 a year ago; since July no.
!047 900 bushels against 1911 ,495 900 last
season.
Corn exports are 3,4O7,OO0 bushels,
against 100000 year ago; for the fis-
cal year 40,SS7,00 against 1895, 900
last season
Dun's Review.
Only one distinctly unfavorable fac.
tor is reported in the business situa-
ton, and it exists more in fear of what
4 may happen than through anything
that has actually occurred.
Several strikes are in progress, but
none that seriouely hamper industry
although many controversies are
threatened and may interrupt trade I'M
less agreements are speedily reached
The jobbing trade is very large and
the advancing season stimulates retail
sales in many lines. Reports from the
west are especially satisfactory agri
culturists making extensive improve
, ments, notably in the purchase Of the
most modern machinery; the buying O
spring and summer merchandise is
heavy for the interior; and mills are
resuming that have long been idle be
: cause coke could not be secured.
: The high cost of material and the
; wages of labor are undoubtedly retard
; ing influences in building operations
. at present.
2 Railway earnings thus far available
l for March show an increase of 14.0'
; per cent over last year.
Prospects in the iron and steel in
dustry are conspicuously encouraging
Quotations are fully held at Pittsburg
and the large purchase of Besseme
iron for delivery in the last half of tn
year is still under consideration. Som
O wire products and cast pipe are ad
r vanced in prices.
a The textile markets are only fairl,
h active, buying at first hands for tn
d home account being on moderat
n scale and forward business is indiffel
!. ent except in the case of few spe
O cialties.
!. Unquestionably the undertone of tn
: cotton goods market is strong. MUG
q better conditions prevail in the dres
q goods market.
# New England shoe shops report il
: creased shoe sales, western jobDer
s placing orders for August and Septen
"a Der delivery The leather market is
\. healthy condition. Another gener;
II. reduction is reported in domesti
ar hides, but foreign dry hides averae
= higher, despite the, larger receipts
Failures are 220 in the United State
against 209 last year.