The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-21
Bradstreet's Says Even Danger OF
Strikes Is Smaller-Floods
an Apparent Drawback.
New York. March a.-Bradstreet's to

New York, March D-Bradstreets to-
morrow will say:
Excessive moisture in the form Of heavy rains
and floods. of merely bad roads. Is an ap-
parent drawback to distributive trade
Over against this, however. Is to be placed an
Improvement in jobbinE trade at some ieadihs
Western centers, shade better than heretofore
reported collections. a perceptibls easing OF tho
car shortage trouble and increased strength In
the iron and steel trades
There Is some, though perhaps more ap-
parent than real Improvement in the LABOR SIT
settled. but labor disturbance 10 still possioie
unsettiing feature. particularly in the building
Ths Easter season is one Of tho latest on
record but actual spring weather ono fseI ,sas
ns iaSe navisation Is areadg M annied the
tess Of t.nan nam in t nsSui S1 linss w."
Gross railway earnings for the first half Of
In prices features the further slight
played exceptional strength. though waiting
tendency regards new business is noted at
prices in the shape Of checked demand Is an
nounced. however, by jobbers. who almost univer-
the largest on record
very general easing OF prices syrnpathized IN
by pork ana lard among The hog prouucts. mann
and smaller EXPORT business. though at the de-
cine The tendency OF foreigners to come IN Is
Hides are slightly weaker. while leather and
finished PRODUCES continue strong Tin and cop
per. among the metals. after quite steady I'd
Vances. have weakened slightly.
Strength OF prices is a leading feature In
iron and steel at all markets, both at home and
abroad Domestic production Is still unequal TO
demand. Foreign markets for pig iron and stee!
billets are reported higher. Eastern seaboard
prices are also rmer and steel biiets arc higher
at leading producing centers, Rather more Is
doing in IRON In the Central West, but higher
lake TO imported the Eastern seaboard.
Finished materials still active tie country
over. Western mills are sold far ahead. Wire
anu wire products are especially active and tin
plate mills running fun time. Hardware is
active at all markets. Rather more inquiry Is
noted for pig iron at Birmingham. though
BUYERS and sellers are still reported apart.
Material for pipe manufacturing has been ad-
vsnced In price. and In structural material tine
labor trouble in construction lines. Lead Is
higher the week. but copper and tin are lower.
Wheat Gncluding Hour. exports for the week
against 1856 20 last week 4s2s, S9i in this week
a year ago. and GA in 1901. Wheat exports
since July aggregate 10 o4s o2S bushels against
1Sl4si5i9 last season. and ti6 81 0SS in 1900.
Corn exports aggregate 3.40706i bushels. against
3.251.s99 last week $50 SCI year ago. and 2.s15,
eS6 in 1901; For the fiscal year exports are 90 .
SIS bushels; against 1884. sOl last season and
al SIS Id In 1901
Business failures for the week ending with
March 10 Number 1914. against 176 last week 1si
in the like week Of 1902 2sl In 1871. 1872 in 1890
and lS2 in 1899. In Canada Tor the week. fall.
ures number H. against 20 last week. and e
| in this week q year ago.