The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-25
TRADE RESPONDS
 ID THE WEATHER
Notable Activity in Several
 Branches of Business
DUN AND BRADSTREET TALK
Scarcity of Coke Is No Longer a Cause for Complaint, as Deliveries Are So Large as to Cause
 Accumulation.

New York. April 24.-R. G. Dun & Co., weekly review of traoe tomorrow will say:
 Trade responded promptly to better weather in many sections of the country notable activity appearing in reasonable lines of wearing apparel yet wholesalers report conservatism as compared with earlier months this year, although busi- ness is more active than 1t was year ago. Some branches are still backward and there is more or less complaint re- garding collections, while renewals are frequently asked. Outdoor work is vigor- ously prosecuted, agricultural communi- ties endeavoring to make up lost time and structural undertakings call for large quantities of lumber and building mate rials, sustaining quotations. Labor prob- lems are being solved with encouraging celerity. Lake transportation has had gestion, and shipments are more prompt, yet there Is no elimination in the splendid increase of gross railroad earn ings which show gain of l3.1 per cent over last years figures for April thus far, and 25.3 per cent over lsv4.
 Three facts are especially noteworthy as to the situation in the iron and steel in dustry. Scarcity of coke is no longer cause for complaint, on the contrary in some cases deliveries are so large as to threaten accumulation, and predictions as to the permanence of high prices have ceased.
 Ample supplies of fuel make it possible for blast furnaces to turn out pig iron in abundance as this was the only draw back, and a new high water mark of pro- duction may be expected for the month of April. Augmented stocks of coke and pig iron, however. fail to result In sufficient steel as yet, billets being in urgent re- quest A rail mill has commenced work on billets and other similar changes are contemplated which indicate the pres sure, as steel rails are more readily mar keted than any other product.
 Settlement of structural labor troubles has renewed activity on buildings and bridges which revives interest in steel Billets will be brought from abroad at the earliest possible date, but there has been difficulty in securing sales, as foreign pro- ducers are also holding large contracts. Pig iron is still unsettled as to price with buyers placing contracts conservatively.
 While dry goods markets have enjoyed better spot demand because of fine weather conditions at the leading tex tile mills they have not materially inn proved. Increased orders are chiefly con- fined to specialties. Until cotton can be purchased more eheaply, there is little prospect of generally lower quotations for goods, and, on the other hand, purch- asers exhibit no inclination to advance bids or even buy freely at present list prices. Last weeks slight improvement in heavy woolens has been barely main tained. Clothiers complain of tardy de- liveries of samples which may affect sub- sequent business.
 New England manufacturers of boots and shoes report a reasonable lack of new business and luther contracts from jobbers are not expected during the next fortnight Sole leather is more active at unchanged prices.
 Increased activity and strength has come in Chicago packing hides with the advancing season. Fluctuations in quota tions of the great staples have been less extensive during the past week, with slightly higher level as the result, and only fair degree of activity Is shown.
 Failures in the United States were 166 this week against z01 last year, and 14 in Canada as against IS year ago.