The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-31
GENERAL TRADE
 STILL BOOSTERS Fuel Situation Has Grown Less
 Disturbing CLEARANCE SALES ENDED Dun and 6radstreet Are Very Confident of Future Good Times and See
 Big Advance In Business
 Iron Deliveries Behind.
CLEARANCE SALES ENDED

New York, January 3O.-R. G. Dun t& Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow will say:
 Domestic trade and industry continue to prosper, while the fuel situation has grown less disturbing through the special efforts of transporters, aided 10 no small degree by mild weather. Distribution of other products has been restricted by the discrimination in favor of coal, and shippers are importunate. Clearance sales are about ended, leaving only small stocks of winter goods. Advance business in spring deliveries Is very heavy. and fall contracts also are placed literally. At some points the harness season opens favorably. In most cases where there Is no delay on fuel account, manufacturing plants are busy, though cost of materials and labor is very high. Firm prices for | finished products are consequently to be expected. Favorable returns of railway earnings are constantly issued, figures thus far available showing an increase of 57 increase over last year and 17.9 per cent over 1901.
 Miles of cars and thousands of tons of coke piled in the yards at Connellsvile | tell the story of conditions in the iron and steel industries. Furnaces are closing be- cause of the fuel shortage. By giving coal, live stock and perishable goods pre- cedence over all the other freight, the railroads helped consumers everywhere, l but at the expense of the leading manu- featuring industry.
 Many plants are closed or running only on part time and few orders for distant delivery are either sought of offered, ow- ing to the uncertainty as to when nor mal conditions will prevail. It Is stated the deliveries of pig iron to the leading consumers are several months behind and spot Bessemer has risen sharply, yet there is much irregulariy as evidenced by the decline in cast pipe. Locomotives are being turned out of the shops with record breaking rapidity and other rail- way equipment Is in equally good de- mand, while structural material Is still a feature. Many additional contracts for bridge building are recorded.
 Foot wear is firm with an advancing tendency, although list prices are with out change. New business is light but most factories have abundant orders on hand and there are many buyers in the market.
 But sole and upper leather are more active, shoe factories taking freely es- pecially of hemlock sole. Buyers also have covered their wants for several months as to oak backs and calfskins are | selling freely.
 | Large quantities of Chicago packer hides sold at unchanged prices and for l egn dry hides are strong. A better in- | quiry Is noted for cotton goods, yet sales are not materially increased, owing to the indlspositon of sellers to accept cen- tracts A number of lines have advanced in price. the upward movement of raw cotton having natural effect. Men s Ia fnY fnl now fully opened and buyers operate more freely. There is no evidence of speculative activity which emphasizes the wholesale condition of the market and many of the lines have been withdrawn.
 Failures for the week number 2O3 in the United States against 301 last year, and 30 in Canada compared with 40 year ago.