Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-01-06
The passing of l902
marks the close of a year
az nnnracnLnntnA anliriiu
Chicago

- OF unprecedented ACTIVITY.
Never before has the general volume Of
trade been so large, never was there a
II ore general report of satisfactory con
ditions. Many new enterprises have been
launched and SO large a measure of sue
cess has attended as to surprise even the
most sanguine. Old firms have Increased
their trade enormously. and many houses
especially in the industrial field, have
lost identity in the process of cons0lida-
ton - characteristic of the times. As.
the country has prospered, SO has Chi
cago prospered The city has increased
largely in population, the building rec~
ord is excellent the retail trade has
grown wonderfully, the jobbing interests
have expanded, and number of new
jobhing firms entered the field. Whom
the figures are compiled it will be found
that Chicago has Increased her impor-
lance largely.
So many new records have been made
that lack Of space forhids an enumeration
here. Most important of all, perhaps,
in viewing the country as whole, is the
result in iron, since iron is the barometer
of trade. In 1901 the country produced
the remarkable total of 15,S7S,000 tons,
of pigiron, yet il is expected that the pro
duction for 1902 will exceed this by
100000 and show grand total in eS-
cess of 100000 tons
III we turn to the railroads VIC find
that the construction of 6,026 miles Of
new road brings the present mileage of
the country to 203,00 miles, and that in
the matter Of new rolling stock every rec.
ord was broken the roads having added
4 4 anA tfti
SAT ears. and yet. with this increase,
there is the old story of inability to han
die all the business offered We have
assurance that the roads viii continue
the policy Of increasing equipment
through 1908 in the fact that the loco
motive and car building companies arc
very heavily sold ahead. The railroads
have not been in haste to spend their
heavy earnings of the prosperous year,
and have been adding To surplus, until
rs we turn into 1908 we find the largest
sums ever known in the strong boxes Of
the roads Two great systems, the
Milwaukee and the Atchison, are carry
ing an excess of $20,000,00O each, and
tweIrty-six leading roads will carry over
in all about S165, 100000. The bulk Of
this win 90 eventually for new lines, OF
betterments, and new equipment on old
lines.
The leading feature possible of evil
Interpretation is the fact that last year
we bought much more abroad than We
sold, although this is by no means the
unfayorabe feature that n superficial
view might indicate. In 1900 we had OK
ported "a, 49,. 079 bushels Of corn to late
This fell to 20550.245 In 1901. and sc
far in 1902 we have exported only SlSS
S7S. We simply have not had a surplus
of corn 10 sell But from now on we
should wipe out this unfayorabe show
ing, and the fact that this week we sent
out 1,502,J51 bushels, against 424.330
bushels in the corresponding week last
wear. ii an Indication that we are start
ing In to do It. This one item, under nor
nal conditions. may swing the balance
the OF her way.
Al the moment we are ia a period of
tight money in New York, which may
pass soon or may drag well into the rev
year But it is certain TO pass finally
and then we should be in for long pc
Rod IL general good business