New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-16
CONDITION OF TRADE.
"Dun's Review" says;

Tardy spring weather. following unusually So
were winter makes Il difficult 70 restore satisfac-
cory trade conditions. but il Is encouraging TO find
nt many points this unreasonable weather the only
that early losses may be made up. at least in large
measure when thermal conditions become noTnial
in the mean tine sales OF orygoods are reslrlcIed
and stocks in all positions from producer 70 con-
retail trade has improved but wholesale business IS
quiet and collections are slow from country towns
rsrrying large supplies and lumber sales below
normal though increasing. Aanufacturlng IS re
sssb-.cs and exports Of lumber are small. weather
lions have retarded trade at Chicago. although
large sales OF wearing apparel. furniture and car
1bere business is brisk the weeks dispatches in
dictate that early gains were maintained. hut little
further progress occurred. Labor controversies are
s s1ea for Nav + but several Important strikes have
been averted and theTe is less opposition TO lower
wages where conditions render change imperative,
Railway earnings in the first week 81 April were
merce At this port Tor the last week showed loss
cf 1852 l2B IN value OF exports and q decrease OF
a. Iei5 5aicial returns for March show exports Of
Sc So 40 and imports OF 1892 2S5 both smaller than
Tives from Japan. and large corporation borrowing
fails 70 harden rates for money. Security tracing
exchanges at New-York OF los per cent compared
with the corresponding week last year. At another
leading cities there was loss OF IL per cent.
'-BradstIeet's'' says:
Trade is stu Irregular with IN seasoraSly cool
weather the chief lat not the only drawback In
he he East and west brighter weather has helped
trade and incidentally crop preparation. hut tho
poor winter wheat crop outlook in the Ohio Valley.
very cool weather En- the lake regions and high
water or frosts IN the western part OF the cotton
flt have affected business or retarded spring plant
ing. Foreign trade returns have seemed 10 fayor
the manufacturing rather than the agricultural IN
terests because while breadStCffs and Gotten eX-
porrs have fallen ne-tliri behind ast efarch. ex
vorts of manufactured goods. rctabv copper and
Iron mus have expanded to bring aSc ut the small
fsiD - sG EFFORTS noted FOR that month.
II IS not 70 be for~otten, OF course. that while
epring trade as n whole has not eQualled eNoec-1-
fio-S or the volume OF 4 81 all lines com
parsons made bound TO suffer because OF the
almost fevCTiSh activity OF year 40, which Il
would be Terhaps inadvisable to have repeated.
Most NEE srcS % trade point TO smaller volume
OF business than wear ago. but II is to be noted
that while slight decrease may be shown IN gross
railway earnings for March. the first quarters
earnings viii fall little behind year ago, showing
that in volume - products moved there fs little
difference from n year acO. ana that the railroads
have so Tar this year almost held their own.
The Industrial situation has not been entirely
favorable Iron and steel. coal. coke, lumber and
rave stores interests either increased activity
IN production and consumption or improved de-
fnar5 from various sources but the cotton goods
industry IS curtBiling production steadily; there is
less activity Fri shoe neDufactur1CE due 20 severe
winter weather curtailr- demand or diverting II
20 rubber goods which have been active. and the
building and other industries rnarred by labor
troubles which while not involving large numbers
Of men, result IN ANNOYING and expensive DELAYS.
The woollen goods demand IS not up TO expecta-
tions. but the napeT trade. which was hurt by low
water and difficulty in obtaining supplies during
she winter, is now experiencing a coed business