Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-11
Annual Rush of Easter Buying
at Retail One of the Favor
able Features
BUSINESS OUTLOOK GRATIFYING
Despite the Prevalence of Strikes,
There is a Slight Improvement in the
Labor Situation Owing to Mutual
concessions--Wond Enlargement
of Iron Products-Dunn's Review.

| New York, April establishments to-
week are the annual rush of Easter
buying at retail which is reported of
excellent volume, some improvements
in the reasserting demand with jobbers
at interior markets resulting there
from and slight but still perceptible
| improvement in the labor situation
growing out of mutual concessions.
Prices during the month of March
showed eXceptionable strength despite
seasonable changes downward in dairy
products. grain and fuel, partly coun-
teracted, however. by advances in live
stock and meats. Lumber and building
| materials of all kinds have remained
in exceptionally good demand in spite
of numerous strikes, and finished pro-
ducts in iron and steel show strength,
but the cruder forms, such as pig iron,
have weakened perceptibly, ostensibly
because of the lowering of quotations of
southern iron, but really because with
improved transportation and better
supplies of coke has come an enlarge
ment of iron products to the highest
point ever known.
1t is, OF course, too early to measure
the development of fall trade Some in
terror markets report good orders but
large eastern centers note q holding
back of buyers of cotton yarns, and the
demand for heavy weight woollens Is
reported to have been checked by high
er prices. Raw wool has again weak
ened, though the statistical position is
very strong. Railroad earnings are
quite favorable, gross receipts for
March indicating an increase OF be-
tween 10 and IL per cent While net re-
turns for February show gain of 6
per cent on a gain in gross receipts of
IA per cent. Relatively the best trade
reports come from the leading western
markets, but all centers report a salts
factory spring trade done at whole.
sale.
The iron situation. as already pointed
out, is one of marked strength in fin
ished, but of unsettled and even weak
ness in the cruder forms. Northern pig
iron has weakened in sympathy with
the readjustment f southern prices
last week. Foreign markets are also
cry $21.5O is insisted on for pig iron at
Pittsburg but $50 would be accepted
if buyers would offer it for the latter
part of the year. Buyers however, are
not eager, and are holding off, evil
IDENTIFY expecting or hoping for lower
quotations. Domestic rail manufact-
urers are full of orders, an indication
of this being reports of American and
n. ,t,,s, .fnn1
rails abroad. Structural orders are in
large volume, a notable instance of this
being for requirements for improve
ments to plants controlled by the lead
ing interest. The strength of old ma
terial is notable feature in the iron
trade at present. Among the other
metals copper and tin have weakened
again, but lead retains its old frmness.
Wheat, including flour exports for
the week, ending April 8, aggregate q
633,2S5 bushels, against 3,l30.S74 last
week: 3,S42012 in this week a year ago.
and 6,405,601 in 1901. Wheat exports
since July / aggregate 17S,212744 bu-
shells against 202.6S7,636 last season and
162,071, 1892 in 1900. Corn exports ag
gregate 2,65d,732 bushels against 1882
O6S last week. 15S,565 a year ago. and
2.623,SS4 bushels in 1901. For the fiscal
year exports are 49,902,26S bushels
against 24,623,002 last season and $780,
S75,4SS in 1901.
Business failures In the United States
for the week ending April 9, number
1853, against 145 last week, 49, In the
like week of 1902, 226 in 1901, lao in
1900 and 243 in 1899.
Rev. DR.. Heagle, of Valparaiso, Ind,
has accepted the presidency of the Bap-
list College of Tennessee, at Martin,