Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-07
BUSINESS At LEADING POINTS.

/ The first week in March opened witt,
very favorable and encouraging bus
mess conditions reported from al tie
principal trading centers. Orders sss
merchandise are brisk and there is a
fair demand for building material
Leading centers report as follows:
/ Minneapolis Seasonable weather
land the approach of spring has slim.
ulated all lines OF general merchdn-
disc, and jobbers report orders r:n
ming somewhat AREA OF the same per-
iod last year. Prices are ho!!ing firm
and collections ara satisfactory. E.e-
ceipts of lumber for :, week We're p
672.O00 feet, and shipments 4,59S,Ga0
faet.
| st. Louis - Increased aet.vi.y is re-
ported in all lines. 'rha wholesale brs-
| iaess is brisk in dry goods. footwear.
millinery, drugs, groceries and hard
| ware, while fairly active IN 'la:hins,
hats, furniture, CARPETS and draperies,
and paints and OILS. The receipts of
lumber nave gree 'acfessei of late,
and there Is an active inquiry for dry
stock. The market is in a healthy
condition. both for the trade and man
ufacturer.
Kansas City Wholesale dry goods
houses report a larger February bas.
| mess than a year ago. Trade is sat
lisfactory in notions and mems furnish
lings. Orders received for spring
millinery thus far have kept the
houses busy. Shoe trade is only fairy
good and believed curtailed some
what by country stores carrying Over
too many goods from last fall. Gro
ceries, drugs and hardware are in good
demand.
New Orleans - General conditions
are favorable and jobbers in all lines
report an unusually good volume of
business. Country merchants are
showing disposition to buy more free
ly and orders for spring delivery are
coming in very we'll Manufacturers
of clothing and shoes are all working
to their full capacity to fill orders
Sales of agricultural implements AMI
other plantation supplies are good.
Boston The development of spring
trade is hampered, but evidently re-
tailers expect a good season, as prep
arations have been made for an early
and active demand. This is reflected N
continued good movement from job
bers' hands in ladies' dress goods,
prints. ginghams, hosiery. underwear
millinery, hats and caps, etc. At first
hands cotton goods continue to sell
steadily, but in limited quantities. ana
there is little change in the conditions
of things at the plants. The WOODEN
mills are In good shape. with orders
on hand sufficient to keep machinery
generally we'll occupied, but mills run
ming on worsteds complain of the I'M
satisfactory condition of the industry
not got the volume of business on their
books that they had year ago. while
the outward movement is considerably
less than in 1903.
Pittsburg = The plate glass factories
are operating as usual and demand is
fair. Labor conditions are satisfactory
The window glass market continues in
an unsatisfactory condition. A few
factories have started up, but there
are good many idle. Production
about equals demand and purchasers
are supplying present wants. buying
wherever they secure glass the cheap
est. Prices are unstable. labor con-
ditions uncertain. and there is no UNI
animity of action among the manufac-
turers. In the hardware market the
demand Is still somewhat slow In
spring lines there is some demand,
and wire and wire nails are in active
call, but in heavy hardware, tools, and
builders hardware the demand is light.
Chicago - BY the renewal of agree
ments made this week between employ
ers and workers the outlook for the
year in the industrial situation has
been much improved. In some in
stances slight increase in wages has
been granted, but in the majority Of
cases no changes are made. This set
Element affects between 10000 and 40,-
600 employees. A few controversies are
pending. with indications of a salts
factory ending. With less impeachment
to travel there has been an augmented
number OF cattle buyers in the mar
kets. and the jobbing trade advanced
to greater strength In most of the
staple goods. Buying of cotton mater
als was of larger volume for the in
terror. but city purchasers were held
down to actual necessities, there be-
ing an indispostion to acquire full
stocks in advance. Dealings in dress
goods, silks and linens reached a larg-
er aggregate. The demand for cloth
ing, ladies' suits and footwear has been
steady. Shipments from the jobbing
district are now showing substantial
gains. There was fair activity in gro
cery staples and canned goods. and the