Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-07-27
BUSINESS FEATURES.

The tenor of dispatches to Dua's Re-
view from nearly every section OF the
country indicates that there is less than
the customary midsummer dizziness in
business, and collections are more
prompt than usual. These facts alone
should stimulate confidence as to the
future, irrespective of the fully average
outlook for the crops and gradually de-
creasine, labor disputes. A large pro-
portion OF the unions have signed a
working agreement with the employers
in the building trades ot New York City
and fully one-half the men have re-.
turned to work This method OF opera,
ton promises immunity from many
delays and expensive struggles In the
future. AS yet no traffic congestion is
reported. but blockades are anticipated
when grain begins to come forward
freely. Earnings of railways reported
for July exceed last years by 1871 per
cent and those of 1901 By 24.1 per cent.
Farm work still retards retail t1stribu-
ton OF merchandise in western sec
tons. Chicago reports trade very act
i've for the season and manufacturing
industries crowded with orders. Cloth
ling sales have surpassed last years at
Baltimore and payments are unusually
prompt. Wooden mills and shoe shops
are busy at Boston. but Fall River
| spinners curtail output. Wool is firm
| at Philadelphia. and clothing rnanufac-
turers are we'll employed. Foreign
trade at the port of New York for the
past week shows a gain of s2,S69,209 In
value of imports as compared with the
same week last year, while exports de-
creased s5O2,o22. Wall street was again
badly demoralized, many securities
reaching new low records. Loans were
called and the liquidation was forced.
Bank exchanges at New York for the
week fell 1879 per cent below last years
and 81 per cent below 1901, while at
other leading cities there were gains OF
9.3 and 1874 per cent, respectively.
| Good news as to the progress being
made toward settlement of labor dis
putes was neutralized by the decline in
securities. In so far as the iron and
steel industry Is concerned. There
were many indications that The inter-
ruptions from strikes would he less fire.
uuent in the immediate future, and
there was a general disposition to fully
Sustain prices. But the heavy liquida-
| ton and new low record prices for steel
issues had much influence upon condi-
tons in the actual business. Footwear
| factories have much work in sight, buy
ers having placed orders freely, and
there are still many representatives in
ments continue to eclipse all earlier
records. The unexpected happened in
the market for woolens. 1t was conf
IDENTIFY believed that new lines of staple
piece dyed goods would be opened at
fully maintained quotations, but the
American Wooden Company reduced
prices to about the same level as ex-
listed a year ago, despite the material
increase in raw wool and several other
items in the cost Of production.
Weather returns for the week show
better than average progress, and con-
tidence in the grain yield grows strong
err. Prices tend downward as rule fol
the leading cereals. with less than the
customary speculative opposition. Quo
tations still appear to be above the
views of many foreign consumers, YET
export inquiries increase and there Is
expectation of a free outgo later in tht
season. Compared with the exports c
year ago, there appears striking de.
crease for the week, wheat and floul
!being shipped to the extent OF only