The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-18
TRADE Is RETARD ED
BY The HUMID
WEATHER
This Merely Aecentuates the
Quiet Common to the Sea-
son = Manufactured Pro-
ducts Going Abroad in
Large Quantities-Unpre-
cedented Iron Production.

NEW YORK, April 17.-Bradstreet's
tomorrow will say: Wet weather has
retarded retail trade and accentuated
the quiet usual at this season. A bene-
fetal factor effect of the Eastern rush,
however. is ar. improvement in collec-
tons, despite bad roads and weather.
and activity in farming work Export
trade is still expanding. cotton and
corn being leaders, and manufactured
products are also going abroad in large
volume. Last years record has al
ready been surpassed. With improved
transportation and better supplies of
coke, iron production is surprising all
records. This has resulted in some
further weakness in pig. this. by the
way, discouraging imports of foreign
materials
On the other hand, finished products
are in unprecedented demand, and for
eign steel is arriving in increased vol
ume TO exc domestic needs. Railway
for this season, gloss receipts for :
March exceeding those of year ago by
about IA per cent.
Dry Goods and Sugar.
The high price of bottom and the nu-
merous labor troubles unsettled the de-
mand for manufactured goods. Mems
>
reported rather backward, and raw
wool has steadied slightly. The theory
advanced last week that the sugar
trade was grounding at the bottom has,
received support-in the increased price
of raw and refined9 sugar this week.
Coffee has weakened in the absence of
support from the direction noted last
week, that of destroying low grade
Brazilian supplies. and new record low
prices have been touched by futures"
Pig iron Of all kinds moved lower
this week. Southern foundry pig is re-
ported cut below recent price reyisions
at the East. Bessemer pig iron is
slightly easier. Premiums on quick de-
liveries are disappearing and imports
OF foreign iron are finding their field
restricted. A feature at present in the
more finished forms is the large de-
mand for light rails for electrical and
street railways. Mills rolling standard
sections are crowded with ORDERS steel.
billets are active, and demand for
structural material is reported as STR
passing previous records. Strength of
old materials is significant i'm View OF
the softening in pig ironsaaGopper%4
slightly higher on the week-and other,
metals are steady. Silver is strength
ening. and this week sold at the nigh
est point reached in. several years. = :
Manufacturing Active. sss-zs.,-'
Manufacturing industry is active the
country over. Building is very brisk,
entaillg a heavy movement Of lumber
hardware, paints 5and glass. Leather is
strong, in sympathy with the firmness
in hides, and with the general activity
in shoe manufacturing throughout the
country. Seasonal BILE changes are re-
sponsible for slight advance in but,
ter.
Wheat, including -four, exports FOR
the week ending April is aggregate
2.977,777 bushels, against 2,633,285. last
week, 4,118,10S in this week a year ago,
and 5,306,217 in 1901. Wheat exports
since July l aggregate 18l, 19O,551 bush
els, against 206, S05,7 IA lastyseason, andsl
161,3I8,209 in 1900. Corn exports ag-
gregate 1,677,621 bushels. against 1854 /
1872 last week, and 40o,733 year ago,
and 2.1S6,401 in 1901. For the fiscal 1
year exports are 51,669,SS9 bushels, 4
against 25,053.735 last season. and 1872
291,SSS in 1901.
Business failures in the United States
for the week endingEwith April Is num-
Der $50, against 15$ last week, 1913 in
the corresponding week of 1902, 212 in
1901, 161 in 1900, and 1877 in 1899.