The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-14
BUSINESS AT THE HIGHEST
POINT ATTAINED IN YEARS.
Bradstreet's Says the Signing OF
the BituminOus Coal Wage
Scale Is Important.

J New York. Feb. 1s.-Bradstreet's to-mor.
4, row will say:
D!stributive trade and productive industry Zee
me innuenee OF springiike weather. slightly bet
ter collections. steady and even strong prices for
staples some IMPROVEMENT in the railway trans
p8r,ation situation. and cheaper and better sup
An additionally favorable feature. not as yet
| new bltuminous coal wage scale. by which any
possible unsttiement from this source is pre-
Mild weather makes for increased activity in
outdoor work. while active movements In ium-
ware and a myriad Of other lines lead to the
belief that the present season, Notwithstanding
higher prices OF materials. will witness immense
In this eennesii9n cosnIzaass mus. he taken
OF the reports coming from widely separated sec
tons. indicating a scarcity OF labor.
,. In tho South increased railway dbcnni,i i : a. iu m
dustry generally has drawn heavily upon the
t, sS'G shla a'a hoMese roT m ahs f be- found nf'd is the pa'sens
high price OF that staple: - INV
btrinE ind'is;ry, and, generally speaking. it
might be said that manual labor the country
All In all. the situation is one practically never
e ,aqs1,.,i on before ore at It, this 5, tine me-, confirming o. Inn ga, gar isss
Perhaps the most notabie feature in the entire
DO nt as Is yet lHe see snf' to '" checf 'ss cnsum nis% In
the strongest situated industries of all those OF
duction. insistcnt demand. eliminating in en-,
LARGE, nnrcl,. si ssIes noL gives s., t ,SS mont to q, The Terr increased
Cotton and cotton goods have, led the van this
week. spot cotton advancing one-third OF a cent
and future deliveries nearly X cent. partly be.
cause OF manipulation. II is true. but ultimately
because or the active spring demand for cotton
goods. even at the higher prices dominating.
Tho dry goods trade. the country over sends
excellent reports. In iron and steel the chiet
trouble Is tie car congestion. which limits sup
plies OF coke reaching furnaces and checks de,
iiveries. Foundry iron Is In good demand. AMI
Bessemer sells readily and freely where obtain
able at sl to $3.50 per ION. Production OF pig
iron still fails to meet consumptive requirements.
Lack OF snow is complained of In some nn:-
lions OF the Northwest. as limiting the logging
output, but that In Maine Is very large. and on
the Pacific Coast unprecedented activity Is not.
ed. In the South and Southwest the output or
lumber Ia enormous.
Wheat. including flour. exports for the week
aggregate 1856. 42e bu.. against 3.sS5.Sl6 last
week and 3.l75., ISL in this week a year ago. and
4.sli.S1S In 1901. Wheat exports since July l
aggregate i55 t2I g, br. against l7s ia last
gregate l.s3o.l7o blu. against ioo.$l6 last week;
52T .36G n year ago. and 4 100. i22 In 1891. For the
fiscal year exports are "a. 63l 1856 bu. against a.
b5s ssc last season and 12+. 327. GIG In 1901.
Rusinees failures In the United states fo- tfe
week ending with Feb. u number 2l4. agalnst rs
lest week. a5 In the like week in 1902. 226 IN 1901.
1913 In 1900 and 100 in 1929. In canada failures
for the week number "a. a. against q last weeh
and Is in this week a year ago.