The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-05-16
CONDITION
OF TRADE
Retail Business Picks Up With
Warmer Weather.
STRIKES STILL NUMEROUS.
Industrial situation Seriously Dis-
turbed-Many Important Undertake
tngs Abandoned or Postpon-
ed-Failurez For May.
STRIKES STILL NUMEROUS.

New York. May 16.-R g. Dun &
Co.'S weekly review Of trade says:
Warmer weather has made it posi-.
BILE for the retail trade to regain part
Of the earlier losses In volume Of trans.
actions, and the level Of quotations for
staple lines Of merchandise is well
maintained. Wholesale trade in sea-
sonable goods Is quiet, although there
is more or less supplementary business
and jobbers report increased activity
In several lines of wearing apparel
Clothing manufacturers are busy on
fall samples, which are unusually late
Furniture and harness factories are
notably we'll supplied with orders, and
there is no evidence Of dullness in ma
chinery or hardware. At most points
there are indications OF improvement
in mercantile collections, the favore bic
progress Of farm work having a good
influence at the interior, while heavy
sales of fertilizers testify to the extern
siye preparation for large crops.
Industrial conditions would be ex-
ceptionally encouraging were it not for
the vast army OF men voluntarily idle.
The numerous strikes exert more In
fluence by disturbing confidence than
by their direct effect upon business,
and many undertakings Of magnitude
are being abandoned or remotely post
poned because Of this uncertainty re-
garding the future Small gold exports
are not cause for uneasiness with treas
ury vaults holding about 643,0O0, 900,
and 1t must be remembered that thus
far this year the outgo has been excep-
tionally light.
Railway Earnings Gain.
Railway earnings continue TO show
the usual gain, May figures thus far
surprising last years by 1874 per cent
and those Of 1901 by 29.3 per cent.
Bank exchanges at New York were
PIT per cent smaller than in 1902 and
SD less than two years ago. At other
leading cities the decreases were only
IL and SIS per cent respectively.
An Unprecedented production Of pig
iron In April was accompanied by
decrease in furnace stocks, testifying
to vigorous consumption and whole
some conditions in the steel industry.
Textile manufacturing conditions are
extremely irregular, some improve
ment being noted at wooden mills,
while cotton spinners are in a bad
position More business has been done
in mems wear woolens and worsteds
than at any recent date, tardy supple
mental orders having at last begun to
appear Aside from few excep-
tional cases in which small advances
were secured, there are no alterations
in prices.
Sales Of a million bales OF cotton
options ia one day and practically no
business In the actual staple Indicate
the artihciality Of the situation. Not
only all the consumers, but most Of
the spectators, are certain that re-
cent quotations have failed TO express
the value Of the staple. and In the
ultimate readiustment there must be
"a severe reaction.
Grain Extremely quiet.
Grain is extremely quiet in COMPARE
son with the sensational gyrations of
the southern staple. Wheat comes into
sight at about the same rate as a year
ago, while exports for the week from
all ports Of the United States were
3,711.965 bushels against 3,499 764 last
year. Corn receipts were 2,S4l.S
bushels, compared with ass, s53. while
exports from the Atlantic coast
amounted to 1883, 96s bushels against
S3,41S last year
Liabilities of commercial failures for
May thus far aggregated $3,21S.o5S,
Of which S1,429,767 were in man
ufacturing, $1.l73.0s0 in trading and
$615.211 in other commercial lines.
Failures this week were 1876 fn the
United States against 22S last year,
and 10 in Canada compared with II
wear ago