The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1903-10-17
Trade QUIET.
Uaeasiness Resardiag Financial SIT
uation Disappears ~ season Al
vances and Crops Are Moved.


New York. Oct 10.-R. @. DUN &
Co.'S weekly review OF trade says:
There have been no developments OF
Importance in the commercial world.
As . rule there Is more caution in
making contracts. especially among the
manufacturers. Uneasiness regarding
the financial situation recedes as the
season advances without producing
any monetary pressure In connection
with crop moving. The proposed re-
duction In pig iron output has been en-
dorsed by all leading producers,
steadying prices just when changes In
freight rates started another reduc-
ton. Other manufacturing news IL
favorable. except where the raw ma
terial markets are unsettled or labor
struggles cause troubles. Suspension
of an iron plant was attributed to the
latter cause and the movement OF cot
ton at New Orleans also suffered be-
cause Of strike. Trade locally is
quiet; preparations for election. with
unreasonable weather. having an ad-
verse effect. Wholesale trade Is active
at Baltimore, a brisk business has been
transacted In fall clothing and the out
look for spring is considered bright.
Manufacturers are busy at Philadel-
phia. but building materials and chem
icals are quiet, with collections slow in
several lines. Trade is brisk at Chica-
go. orders well distributed and pay
ments prompt. Railways are not yet
severely congested by the crops. yet
there Is some delay In traffic and earn
ings for September are 81 per cent.
larger than last year.
Reduced dividends and curtailed
production in the iron and steel indus
try show that conservatism Is increas-
ing and that there is no disposition to
disguise the fact that business Is not
without Interruptions. Yet
there is nothing alarming In the sit
uation. and a few years ago the con-
tracts now in sight would have assured
full occupation for all plants. Prices
receded ss it became apparent that the
industrial boom was interrupted, and
1t is now found desirable to shut down |
plants not thoroughly equipped.
Failures this week numbered 239 in |
the United States. against 245 last year |
and II in Canada compared with Fl a
year ago"
Bradstreet's says: Trade conditions |
are still irregular Business Is of fair |
volume, but not SO active as year ago,
partly because of the backward season,
heavy rains interfering with crop move |
ment and collections; vexatious labor |
troubles, past and present. discouraging |
operations, and the spread of |
the conservative feeling among buyers,
based upon stock market liquidation |
and the feeling that high prices Of many |
products will tend, II 1t has not already |
done so. to automatically check con-
Many underlying conditions |
are, however. still favorable. First in |
should be reckoned the de- |
cidedly better tone Of advices from the |
corn crop. which has developed larger |
yield aud better quality than was
earlier deemed possible. Special in
luiry by Bradstreet's points to a yield
Of at least 1850, 0OO, 900 bushels of a
grade generally far superior to that of
4 year ago.
The best trade advices come from the
southwest. notably at Kansas City and
st. Louis; from the western sections.
such as Nebraska and Iowa, where corn
8 turning out better than expected:
rom the Pacific coast, where trade IL
till unQualifiedly good despite the slow
Tess OF new wheat and other crops to
move. and from portions Of the south,
'uch as the Mississippi valley, where
present prices for cotton offer good re-
urn for fair yields Heavy rains have
nterferred with threshing OF spring
wheat in the northwest and retarded
rade and collections. while weather at
he east has also been unfavorable to
rade. reduced at some large cities by i'm
paired buying ability growing ont of
'trikes."