Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-02-05
DOMESTIC TRADE
IS PROSPEROUS
Advance Business in Spring
Delivery Is Reported to
Be Heavy.
FUEL CAUSES LITTLE DELAY
Manufacturing Plants Are Busy and
Prices for Finished Products Rule
Firm-iron and Steel Industry sut
fers to Benefit of Other Lines.

New York, Feb. 2.-"DomestiC
trade and industry continue to pros
per, while the fuel situation has grown
less disturbing through the special eff
forts of transporters, aided to no small
degree by mild weather. Distribution
of other products has been restricted
by the discrimination in favor of coal
and shippers are importunate. Clear
ance sales are about ended, leaving
only small stocks of winter goods. Ad
vance business in spring deliveries
is very heavy, and fall contracts are
also placed literally" The foregoing
10 from the weekly trade review Of
r. G. Dun & Co.'s. 1t continues:
First Cost Is Higher.
'In most cases where there is no de
lay on fuel account manufacturing
plants are busy, though cost of mate
rails and labor is very high. Firm
prices for finished products are conse
quently to be expected. Favorable
returns Of railway earnings are con
stantly issued, figures thus far avail
able showing an increase of 81 pei
cent over last year and 17.9 per cent
over 1901.
miles of loaded cars and thousands
OF tons of coke piled in the yards a
Connellsville tell the story of condi
lions in the iron and steel industry
Furnaces are closing because of tn,
fuel shortage. BY giving coal, liv,
stock and perishable goods precedenc,
over all other freight the railroads
helped consumers everywhere. but a
the expense of the leading manufac
turing industry.
Many Plants Close.
MANY plants are closed or run
ming only part time, and few order!
for distant delivery are either sough
or offered owing to the uncertaint,
as to when normal conditions will pre-
vail.
1T is stated that deliveries of phi
iron to the leading consumer are sew
eral months behind, and spot Besse
mer has risen sharply, yet there il
much irregularity, as evidenced b!
the decline in cast pipe. Locomotive
are being turned out of the shop
with record-breaking rapidity, AMI
other railway structural equipment Il
in equally good demand, while struc
tural material is still feature. Man.
additional contracts for bridge build
ing are recorded.
Buyers Crowd Market.
Footwear is firm, with an advanc
ing tendency, although list prices ar
without change. New business /
light, but most factories have abund
ant orders on hand. and there ar
many buyers in the market.
Both sole and upper leather ar
more active. shoe factories takinl
freely, especially of hemlock sole
Large quantities of Chicago packe
hides sold at unchanged prices, an
foreign dry hides are strong. A bel
ter inquiry is noted for cotton goods
A number of lines have advanced il
price, the upward movement of ra,
cotton having a natural effect. Men
wear woolens and worsteds for IA
are now fully opened. There is N
evidence of speculative activity. whic
emphasizes the wholesome conditiol
of the market. and many lines hav
been withdrawn.
Failures for the week numbere
243 in the United States, against 80
last year, and thirty in Canada, con
pared with forty a year ago."