The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-07
SPRING BUSINESS HEAVY
STABILITY OF PRICES ENCOURAGES BUY
ING ON A MORE LIBERAL SCALE.

SAs6- SAN a A@OAA1s AAoGASA4 0NAAIss
New York, Feb. 7.--Bradstreet's to-day says:
unfavorable weather conditions. may retard, but
they do not arrest trade and industrial develop
ment. which continue in exactly full volume
Tor this season of the year. Spring trade. as
pointed out heretofore, is earlier and of larger
volume than in any previous year, and the
remarkable steadiness of prices Is evidence that
stability in present conditions is expected = for
some time to come. The current reports from
the dry goods trade are among the most cheer
Iul 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 in heavy demand.
This progress is being made i'll spite of some
drawbacks but. these very shortcomings are
evidence merely of superintendent prosperity.
FOR instance. the notice given earlier In the
week by the western railroads that they would
be forcedrto refuse numerous classes of heavy
freight, such as grain, -four, iron, iron ore and
lumber, and that, In fact. they could only take
perishable and quick moving merchandise. is evil
dence that. the railroad facilities. frequently
noted before, have not expanded quickly or in
as great proportion as has the volume of BUSH
ness offered In the IRON and steel trade the
ruel situation is really but. little better, owing
to the congestion In transportation between
the coal regions and consuming points.
Inc late spell Of mild weather has certainly
| brought about an improvement in the coal stu
| alton. Cold weathersHas responsible for lower
prices for butter and eggs in January. aud some
box products also declined but cereals remained
''~'"s anu 'eAdlSS nearly all advanced, as Qlu
several kinds of iron and steel. copper, tin and
naval stores, offsetting the lower movement in
quotations OF country produce, coal and coke,
petroleum, hides and some grades of leather
Owing to the steadiness OF the large ma iority
or prices, the net movement of prices as a whole
was only very slightly downward, less than 1
per cent decline being noted for the month of
| January. Chief among the staples showing
strength Is raw cotton. While buyers Of iron
ana steel evince tendency to stand of as re.
sards distant deliveries, pressing needs for i'm
I in1yn
| which make up considerable aggregate Of
crude material. Finished products are as active
as heretofore.
Rails. structural materials wire. bars, railroad
material and even tin plates, are in active re-
| quest. - - -. +. :;
| Some large orders for pipe have also been
200 booked but goodssized order for steel rails
| had to be placed abroad owing to the liability
| OF domestic manufacturers to make deliveries.
| The most important interest in the trade re
ports orders its books for, $3.50 900 TONS the
largest future business of which there Isl record.
| The markets for foreign materials are rather
firmer. An additional feature making for sta
bility Of present iron prices is the feeling that
iron ore prices will be advanced this spring.
| This taken in connection with the higher cost
| of fuel and advanced freight rates. would seen,
to postpone the day when the long predicted
downward revision Of prices is to occur. Large
sales 100000 tons) of open hearth steel are re.
ported at. Pittsburg, where structural material,
| plates and: bars are active. Tin plates are
stronger and most Of the mills are in operation.
Steel bar manufacturers will adhere to the 100.
cent rate. Pittsburg concern building tele-
phone conduits has secured ST, SOC, 900 contract
from the Russian government
Wheat including flour, exports for the week
ending Feb. aggregate 3.965,457 bu, against
APO, O65 last week. 4.sO0,457 in this week q
year ago: and 4 ,997, s1s in 1901. Wheat ex
ports since July aggregate 152, 565, 53S bu,
against 1701466i3 last season, and 12O, 1928 45a
in 1900 r. go" 81 - $780, -
Corn exports aggregate 2.4oo,316 bu. against
2, O45, 999 last week, 100. 145 a year ago, and
| Ali ,440. in 19O1.- For the fiscal year. exports
are %, sol ole bu. against % 301 $50 last season
and 119.566. 794 in 1901. a.:
Business failuers for the week ending Feb. /
number POS. against $50 last week. =247 in tt
like week in 1902, $50 in 1901, 2s1 in 19oo ant
195 in 1899. ..... ....
I'm Canada, for the week, 81 against 80 last
week. ~. - ~ ~ 50 =