Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-14
Signing of New Bituminous
Coal Wage Scale Favorable
Feature of Situation
THE MOST NOTABLE FEATURE
1t Is, Perhaps, That the Present High
Prices Do Not as Yet Seem to Check
Consumption Car Congestion the
Chief Trouble in iron and Steel
Dun's Review.

New York. Feb. 14.-Bradstreets
Weekly Review of Trade today says:
Distributive trade and productive in
dustry feel the influence of spring like
weather. slightly better collections,
steady and even strong prices for sta
pies, some Improvement in the railway
transportation situation, and cheaper
and better supplies Of coal at the east.
An additionally favorable feature not
as yet given full consideration is the
signing of the new bituminous coal
wage scale. Mild weather makes for
increased activity in outdoor work.
while active movements in lumber,
structural iron and steel. builders
hardware and othe. lines lead to the
belief that the present season, notwith-
standing higher prices of materials, VIII
witness immense building operations.
IL this connection cogniZance must be
taken of the reports coming from wide
ly separated sections indicating a
scarcity of labor. In the south increased
railway building, lumber operations
and a diversification of Industry gener-
ally has drawn heavily upon the lapor
available for the cotton fields, and less
than ordinarily might have peen eN
pected an increase in acreage is looked
for in this line. A balance for this,
however, may be found in the present
high price of that staple. In the north
west labor is scarce in the numbering
Industry, and, generally speaking, IL
might be said that manual labor the
country over finds ready market. All
in all the situation is one practically
never eoualled before at this time, con-
firming earlier predictions that the mrs.
half of the year 1909 vas secure peyohu
peradventure.
Perhaps the most notable feature III
the entire situation is the fact tnat
,resent high prices do not as yet seem
to check consumptic;. In the strohe-
est situated industries of all, those Oh
cotton manufacturing and or iron anu
steel production, insistent demahas'
eliminating in enlarged sales, give YES
timony to the increased purchasins
mower Of the country at large Cotton
and cotton goods have led the van thls
week.
The dry goods trade the country over
sends excellent reports. In iron ana
steel the chief trouble is the car con-
gestion. Lack of snow is complained OF
in some portions of the northwest as
limiting the logging output, but that
in Maine is very large. and on the
Pacific coast an unprecedented activity
is hoted. In the south and southwest
the output of lumber is enormous.
Wheat, including flour exports for the
week aggregate 2,s56,439 bushels
against 3,965,916 last week. 3.115.4sl In
this week year ago, and 4.s14.S1S in
1901. Wheat exports since July aggre-
gated 155, ,977 bushels against ll3,-
322.124 last season and 125,63S,337 bu-
shells in 1900 Corn exports aggregate
1,S30,170 bushels against 2,400,316 bu-
shells last week, 527,366 a year ago and
4,76O,422 in 1901. For the fiscal year
exports are 24,631.1S6 bushels against
22,55S, 496 bushels last season and 124,-
S27,216 In 1901.
Business failures in the United States
for the week ending February IL num-
Der PA, again eos last week, 265 in the
like week in 1902, 225 in 1901, 1919 in
1900, and $50 in 1899. In Canada fail
ures for the week number %, as against
27 last week and rs in this week year
ago.