Daily Kennebec journal., 1903-08-22
THE KEYNOTE
,Of Fall Trade Is Weather and
Crop Conditions.
Buyers from Northwest, Southwest and
South Taking Hold Well.
Not So Lively in East and the Central
West.

New York, Aug. 21.-Bradstraat's TO
morrow, will say: Weather and GRO,
conditions are still the keynote to fal
trade. In the Northwest. Southwes
and South buyers are taking hold en-
ergetically, and reports as a whole ar,
as good or better than year ago. II
the East fall jobbing has started il
we'll, though perhaps not so active as
hoped for. Some soft spots are, how,
ever, noted in the Central West
Retail trade is seasonably quiet and
collections are reported backward in 2
number of instances. Crop develop
ments on the whole are favorabl i'm
prOvement being noted especially in
cotton, spring wheat and, to a smaller
extent, in corn.
Among the great industries few i'm
portant changes are noted. Fewer in
dustrial operatives are on strike now
than for months past, but the idleness
of cotton mill operatives tends rather
to increase.
Shoe manufacturing is notably ac-
tive and Eastern shipments are break
ing all records.
The movement of winter wheat is
larger, especially to Northwestern
mills and complaints of car congestion
are growing.
The deadlock in cotton continues and
is a bar to activity in this line.
Cotton is to all appearances making
excellent progress, and especially in
Texas, Alabama and South Atlantic
states, but no real complaint comes
of hn haI 70
talk of too much rain in some sections
and insect damage in others. 1t should
be no surprise if the government crop
bulletin, issued 10 days hence, should
Show gain in cotton condition in Au-
gust. Speculatively, cotton has seen
one of the dullest weeks in many
months, price variations being of the
slightest.
Print cloths are slightly weaker on
the whole. From old as well as New
England come reports that business is
checked by artificial conditions pre-
Vailing, but the belief is growing that
with present bars removed, a good
trade is possible.
A good business has been done in
mems wear, but prices of the goods are
close to cost. Raw wool is firmer, with
some good sized sales reported from
Eastern markets.
Boot and shoe shipments from East
ern points, this week, are l per cent in
excess of last week, and % per cent
larger than this week "a year ago. For
the season, shipments are Is per cent.
larger than 1902.
Leather is reported firmer, but quiet
as a whole. New England hides are
lower.
Wheat, including flour, exports for
the week ending Aug. 20, aggregate
1872, 7S9 bushels, against 3,413,191 bush
els, last week, 3,954,759 bushels, this
weeks last year.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
50o,495 bushels, against 7O7,3S7 bushels,
last week, and 51,649 bushels a year
ago.
business failures for the week end
ing Aug. 20, number 166, against 100
last week, and 1S1 in the like week of
1902.
In Canada trade compares we'll with
a year ago and crop prospects, particu-
larly for wheat in Manitoba, are bet
ter than some time ago Cutting is now
Toronto reports orders re-
ceived so far in August to be ahead OF
those of last year. Montreal announces
an active wholesale trade.
Failures for the week number IA as
against Il, last week. and &c in this
week Il year ago. Bank clearings ag-.
gregate $4S 200, $50, a decrease of per
cent, from last week, a gain of 81 per
cent. over this week Il year ago.