The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-24
TRADE OUTLOOK BRIGHT
THROUGHOUT COUNTRY
Holiday Business Fully
Meets Expectations.
REPORTS FROM BIG CITIES
Baltimore Merchants Say Agricultural
Interests in South Are Prosperous.
New England Mills Running.

NEW YORK. Dec 24-SpeciaI dis
patches from correspondents of the In
terna tional Mercantile Agency through
out the United States and Canada are
summarized as follows:
Continued cold weather has favored
dealers in Christmas goods and retailers
generally and the volume of holiday
trade at most large centers has eqlaIed
or exceeded that of year ago. Tray
elers i'm many staple lines are tempo
rarily Off the road, but report having
done heavy business in clothing. dry
goods. sundries. and shoes. Wholesalers
in the interior report the customary sea-
son of dullness, but anticipate excellent
orders when statesmen return to the
road
Iron and Steel Reaction.
Pittsburg Chicago. and Birmingham
authorities agree that a stopping place
has been reached in the reaction in iron
and steel. Delayed orders. many of
which were held back to see How low
prices would go. will be placed after the
holidays. This. many think, marks the
virtual elimination of the industrial as
well as the financial depression. The
year closes with a much brighter out
look and with better prospects for gains
than at this time in 1902 Far Western
railroads bear out reports of commercial
prosperity with advices of tonnage II
per cent more than a year ago East Il
the Mississippi the decline is not over
per cent
Eastern wool buyers have been taking
more freely. and prices tend upward.
Moderate offerings of hides have been
readily absorbed and purchases of
hemloclS leather for future delivery. with
higher prices for lower grades. have
been noteworthy. Printmakers hav,
been. refusing offers at current quota
lions. They are firm in the belief that
prices must advance New England cot
ton mills will probably continue running
for the next six months. but some or
short time. owing to scarcity of cotton
Interior Jobbers Cautious.
Chicago merchants say interior job
| bers are buying cautiously St Louis
that an increased volume Of traffic will
80 to that city next year, and that snow
and rain have given needed relief in tbs
winter wheat regions; Philadelphia that
the general trade prospect for 1904 is
bright, despite what a Presidential year
may bring; Baltimore that the outlooE
is fair. and that agricultural interests IN
the South are prosperous; Pittsburg thai
| Industrial coke users are buying freely
again, which stimulates the feeling Of
cncoura cement following the re-afiirma-
ton of steel prices by the pools
St. Paul and Minneapolis jobbcrs tel
of a steady and general increase OF
wealth throughout the Northwest. witt
a volume of buaness for the year fully
equal to that of 1902. On the Pacific
Coast, notably at San Francisco. whole
sale trade has been the best for year,
past at like periods Texas railroad.
are taxed to handle freight offered ii
Cleveland the outlook for next year {.
good in all leading lines. and at Cleve
land dry weather. which interferes witt
marketing the tobacco crop, is the only
drag. In other lines the record exceed.
that of 1902. At Boston interest and div
idend disbursements next week viii ruT
up to about S25.o0O.OoO.
The Canadian Trade.
In the Dominion of Canada genera
trade both wholesale and retail ha.
been gratifying. Stocks are broken ans
merchants are ordering freely in season
able lin6s Holiday traffic has beer
larger than last year. Exports have
been heavy. and trade in all lines fol
the year constitutes a record-breaker.