The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-02-07
STABILITY EXPECTED
FOR SOME TIME TO COME,
Reports from Dry Goods Trade Among
the Most Cheerful Ever
Recorded.

Now York, February 6-Bradstreet's TO-
morrow will say; Unfavorable weather
conditions may retard, but they do not ar
rest trade and industrial development,
which continue In exceptionally full vol
ume for this season Of the year. Spring
trade, as pointed out heretofore, is earlier
aud In large volume, more so than In any
previous year. and the remarkable steadi-
ness OF prices Is evidence that stability III
present conditions is expected for some
time to come. The current reports from
the dry goods trade are among the most
cheerful ever recorded at this season OF
the year Cotton goods note exceptional
activity and strength but other lines OF
spring trade are busy; iron and steel are
active for this season, lumber production
and demand are brisk and hardware is
heavy This progress is being made In
the face OF some drawbacks; these short.
comngs are evidence mostly OF super
abundant prosperity. Fer instance, the
notice given earlier In the week by the
Western railroads that they would be
forced to refuse numerous classes Of heavy
freight, such as grain, nour iron ore, luEA-
Der and that In fact, they could only lnke
| perlshahle and quickmoNlng mercnenulsS
! Is evidence that the railroad tacihues OF
ho country as frequently noted betote'
have not cNoanded IN 50 great a PROPORTION
| nG the business of the country, me htee
and fuel situation Is little better.
! The late spell Of mild weather has Ger
t0lnly brought about an Improvement III
/ the coal situation. Coiu weather was re
sponsiblO Tor lower prices oI butter ana
| eggs in January, aud some products oe
! Cnucd. but cereals remained steady Nhu
| textiles nearly all advanced, as did seNera
kinds Of iron and steel, copper. tin and
luGral torres, oifsettng the lower move
Inents tn quotations OF country pt9auC,s
coal and coke, petroleum, hides ana SOM
| Erudes OF leather owing TO the stehdineS
Of the large majority OF prices, the ne
| movement of prices as q whole was ohl,
verv slightly downward. less than ! pc
ceut decline being noted foi the month o
January. Chef among the staples snow
ing strength is raw Gotten. Nhle puEel
of iron aud steel evlnCe tenuSncl u
stand of as regards distant deliveries
pressing needs for immediate purposes IN
duce numerous small sales, which make u
a considerable aggregate Of trade materla
Finished products are as active as hereto
fore
Rails, structural materials, wire, bars
rniroad material and even tin plates are
some ldTge orders 70, PIPE have bee bee,
rails had 10 be placed abroad owing TO tn
inability II domestic manufacturers 4
make deliveries Markets for foreign mi
torial arc rather nrmer An addlt ona
feature making for stability Of present ro
prices Is the feeling that iron ore price
viii Ne advanced this spring This, take
IN connection with the higher cost of fu'
and advanced FIRE ght rates, would seem !
POSTPONE the day when the long nredlcto
downward revision Of prices Is TO oecn
Large sales 10000 tons) open hearth ste
are reported ut plttshurg, where structure
plants are active Tin plates are strongt
and most Of the mills are IN operation
steel manufacturers viii adhere TO tn
Z cont rate.