The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-27
TRADE FALLS OFF
A Heavy Decline in Both Ex-
ports and Imports
AS Compared With the Same
Week Last Year.
INCREASED ACTIVITY.
Is Melted in the Manufacturing
Industries.
Failures Are Few for This
Time of the Year.

holiday, trade and transportation have
again suffered because of severe
weather and much outdoor work was
forced to await more favorable condi-
tions. DEVELOPMENT of spring trade is
naturally slow. but this may be fully
made I'D as the season advances. Busi-
ness proceeds on conservative basis
| that promises immunity from the ex-
cesses that precipitated the recent set
| back. Manufacturing plants are grad
ually restoring idle machinery ana
there is more disposition to anticipate
| ties are still inflated by war and ma
nipulations. making it extremely dlth-
| cult to ascertain the actual legitimate
| situation. Baltimore concerns are re-
Stunning in temporary quarters. stocks
of goods being accumulated with great
rapidity, but no permits have been is
sued for rebuilding the burned district,
as plans are in preparation for realign-
ment of streets
Foreign commerce at New York for
the last week shows a loss of So 49,
1893 in exports and a decrease of 81. 3D.
672 in imports, as compared with the
same week last year Finances abroad
were badly demoralized at the close of
the last week. and several important
features have since occurred. but there
was no reflection in this country and
money continued easy.
ASIDE from some special pressure to
sell foundry iron in order to meet ore
payments. the market for pig iron is
steadily, though quietly. expanding
Mild weather will soon revive much
postponed structural work. and already
the requirements of the railroads are
| being felt. Bars are sought by imple-
ment makers and other works, and for
plates and sheets the inquiries are in
I creasing. Coke operators complain of
the car shortage, which is seriously re-
tarding shipments. and there is urg-
ency for delivery of other fuel supplies
of household sizes of coal. being low
for the season. Minor metals are dull
and lower with demand smaller than
the supply.
"A slightly firmer tone is discerned
in cotton goods, particularly on forward
business in heavy staples. There was
| a tendency downward until the return
of speculative interest in the raw ma
terial and the subsequent irregularity
was not productive of any change in
sentiment.
on orders. wholesalers are not placing
supplementary contracts and little new
business comes forward. Owing to the
amount of work on the books. produc-
ers are not disturbed by the apathy Of
jobberS, and further contracts are ex-
Dected when the eastern demand de-
Dletes retail stocks. Quotations are
fully maintained.
THE Chicago market has grown dull
with interest confined to packers ma
tive cows. Foreign dry hides are steady.
/ violent fluctuations have continued
IN the great staples, legitimate inf1u-
ences upward being supplemented by
manipulation, and realizing sales pre-
cipitating reactions. Wide changes
from day to day in the leading COM
nodities indicate an unwholesome and
undesirable situation that is due to
speculation and that is calculated to
check or divert consumptive demand.
| Wheat led the advance and was closely
followed by the minor cereals, but flour
was less cratic and as result exports
were mainly confined to the latter.
Cotton recovered after the holiday,
only to react more sharply with heavy
speculation at very cratic quotations.
AS usual in an irregular market there
was little legitimate business either for
home or foreign spinners. The statisti-
cal position grows stronger as the
season advances, but, on the other
hand, preparations for a record break
ing yield also increases. A further
break carried spot coffee to the lowest
point since the recent campaign was
started and there was little resistance
by the clique that forced prices to 9.19c
on February l, sales being effected q
per cent lower this week.
Bradstreet's review of trade this
week says:
Spring trade is asserting itself de-
spite abnormally cold weather, heavy
SHOWS or congested transportation ia.
cilities in widely separated sections
Where weather conditions have beer
favorable, as in the south, distributivt
trade has been good and generally il
excess of any change. In the south
west milder weather has brought on
more country buyers and there is alst
more doing in dry goods, shoes and
millinery at Chicago. though. unlike
Kansas City and St. Louis, business a
the former city is unequal to any year
Buying is generally classed as conserv
: alive.
t enlargement of activity, especially il
glass making and iron and steel, pro-
5 duction of pig iron being nearly double
] that of two months ago. Anthracite
coal is active and strong, but produc-
ton and shapes of this product anC
/ coke and raw material generally art
| hampered by the weather. The blum
t nous coal outlook is additionally<un
( satisfactory, because it is almost uni
. VerSally believed that a strike agains
/ reductions of wages will occur on Apri
l in the western Pennsylvania ant
l West Virginia fields. Cold weathe
/ also limits the outdoor operations il
D buildings, but several very large trans
actions in lumber are reported from tn
: west and northwest and higher price.
for common brick are looked for
$ Stocks of yellow pine in cities adjacen
:, to Baltimore are expected to be in re
quest in replacing buildings. The in
surance companies appear to have SUI
= fered another blow in Rochester, wher,
I the damage is estimated at 5000, 600
Shipments are still smaller than
E year ago in cotton and in wooden good
L for next fall. Failures are few in mum
Der for this season of the year, consid
I ering the belated spring season. It
: still too early to report upon the win
g ter wheat situation, but advices so ia
are encouraging in the southwest, alb
L Sence of snow covering or lack of moiS
g ture being reported in Missouri, Ok
e lahoma and Kansas.
: New record prices for the year an
y the highest. in fact. since May, 1897
Il were reached in wheat this week, tn
e market, though irregular, closing nea
b the top. cash and the May option NOV
: ing upward on largely reported cage
t demand for milling wheat.
Flour prices reflect the strength an