Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-14
CANNOT GET ENOUGH LABOR.
Bradstreets Says Employers All Over
Country Want More WOrkmen.
NEW YORK. Feb. 13.-Bradstreet's to-

NEW YORK, Feb. 13.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow Will say:
Distributive trade and productive indus
try feel the influence OF sprtng-hke
weather, slightly better collections, steady
and ever strong prizes IN stsa69o 1es: INN lmpro snd
cheaper and better supplies OF coal in the
east.
An additional favorable feature not as
yet given FULL credence is the signing of
the new bituminous wage scale, Ny which
any possible unsettlement from this source
Mid weather makes for increased activ-
ity in outdoor work, while active move
ments In lumber, structural iron and steel,
builders hardware and a myraid OF other
lines lead to the belief that the present
season, Notwithstanding higher prices or
materials. VIII witness Immense 61iidlns
must be taken OF the reports coming from
widely separated sections, indicating a
scarcity OF labor. In the south increased
railway building, numbering operations and
a liberalization of Industry generally has
drawn heavily upon the labor available for
the cotton fields, and a less increase In the
acreage than might nave been expected Is
therefore looked for in this line. A bal
ance to this, however, may be found in
the present high price of the staple.
in the northwest labor is scarce in the
numbering INDUSTRY and, generally speak
Ing, It might be said that manual labor
the country over finds a ready market. ALL
In all, the situation Is one practically never
equaled before at this time, confirming
earlier DTcQlCIlOnS Indl the nTSI ndlI OF
the year 19Oo was secure beyond peradven-
ture.
Perhaps the most notable feature in the
entire situation Is the fact that present
high prices DO not as yet seem to check
consumption. In the strongest situated in
dustries of all, those of cotton manufac-
turing and of iron and steel production,
lnslstent demand. eliminating In enlarged
sales, give testimony. 10 the Increased pur-
chasing power of the country at large.
ket this week, spot cotton advancing 1-S
cent and. future deliveries nearly n cent,
partly because of manipulation, 1t is true,
but ultimately because of the active spring
demand for cotton goods, even at the high
prices dominating.
The dry goods trade the country over
sends excellent reports.
In iron and steel the chief trouble is the
car congestion, which limits supplies of
coke reaching furnaces and checks deliv-
cries. Foundry iron is In good demand and
bessemer sells readily and freely where OBJ
tainable at $Zl.OOW2l.0O per ton. Production
of pig iron still tails TO meet consumptive
requirements. Increased demand is noted
for structural material, steel plates, mer-
hardware is Increasing and building prom
lses to be active. An additional steadying
feature is the prospect that all classes OF
iron ore will be advanced, the increase
varying from 20 cents 20 81. 25 and the aver
age being in the neighborhood of IS cents.
Copper strengthens steadily from week to
week.
Lack of snow is complai1ed of IN some
parts of the northwest as limiting the log
ging output. but that in Maine is large,
and on the Pacific coast Unprecedented ac-
tivity Is noted. In the south and south
west the output of lumber is enormous.
vs Wheat lRslIaing gs5 a9ss' S sSRSSFss for Tsf
1856, SIC last week. 3.I75,4sl in this week a
year ago and 4.S14,S7S in 1901. Wheat ex-
ports since July / aggregated l55, 421 .97I
bushels, against 1888, 800, l24 last season ana
l25, 6S,337 in 1900.
Corn exports aggregate 1880. 40 bushels,
against 2,400. 416 last week, 527, 1866 a year
ago and 4.76O, f2 In 1901. For the fiscal year
exports are G,6Sl, 1856 bushels, against p,
56S,S72 last season and 124, S27 ,2l6 In 1901.
Business failures in the United States
for the week ending with February =
number PA. against EOS last week. PCS In
the like week In 1902, 226 I'm 1901. 1879 in 1906
and 1850 in 1899. In Canada failures for the
week number twenty-four. against twenty
seven last week and twenty-five In this
week a year ago.