The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-16
TRADE is ACTIVE.
Dull Season Appears to Have
Been Cut Ont This Year.
Spring Trade Already on in the
Southwest.
PRICES ARE ADVANCING
War Talk and Weather Affect
Food Products.
Renewed Demand Influences
iron Market.
PRICES ARE ADVANCING

New York. Jan. 16.-Bradstreet's says:
Though not thoroughly opened yet. ex-
cept at the. southwest, spring trade is
beginning to 1iven up. and this, coupled
with large volume of clearance sales
by retailers, gives an appearance of
activity to midwinter operations. The
industrial situation shows Improvement,
particularly in iron and steel mill re-
sumptions and in the putting into blast
of more coke furnaces. Little or no
friction seems to attend numerous wage
reductions scheduled for the current
month. and though weather conditions
are a bar to activity in outside work,
an active spring is looked for in this
line.
while war talk and weather condi-
tions have operated to raise prices of
food products, the unquestionable i'm
proVement in the tone of trade is the
handspring Of the upward swing in
prices of iron and steel. the other met
ais, and hides and leather. which. with
the advance in raw textiles, helped to
raise the general level of values of
staple products to close to the highest
for year past and 81 per cent. above
the low point of 1896, though per cent.
below the highest point of 1900. The
iron trade is irregular, but, on the
whole a favorable view is taken of con-
dit1ons and outlook. Production is down
TO the minimum of the past five years
though current assumptions may swell
the output slightly. A sale of 90 900
tons of rails for Turkey is reported.
Wire is strong and barb wire and nails
have been advanced. Tin plates are
more active. there is more inquiry for
structural, and old material and steel
scrap are higher" ,
r. G. Dun & Co.'S weekly review of
trade says:
Of iYoor,,-ox,ar,,av,+ in, he
pme of business outnumber unfavora-
bic dispatches, although the situation
as decidedly irregular. AS the money
market becomes easier, there is better
prospect of postponed work being re-
suned. All structural lines are largely
dependent upon the ability of the rail
roads to borrow money and the restOra-
ton of confidence among investors.
Only fair reports are received regard
ing the leading manufacturing lines.
Many iron and steel plants have resumed
Textile abricS are as badly unsettled
as ever, lower prices for new lines of
WOOlenS proving a diSagreeable sur
prise to the many small operators and
spectators in cotton, rendering for
ward contracts for goods an impossi-
bility. Distribution of merchandise in
creases with more normal weather and
clearing houses report liberal orders
for spring goods from statesmen at the
west and south. Only a moderate i'm
provement has appeared thus far in the
demand for iron and steel products, al
though the resumption of idle plants
has attained encouraging proportions.
Insofar as pig iron is concerned, the
week has brought a slightly lower
range of prices without stimulating in
quiries and most departments report
no change in the attitude of purchasers,
which is one of waiting for more at
tractive terms. This disposition is
especially conspicuous as to steel rails,
consumers insisting that the prices
should change in response to the lower
cost of materials.
In this connection, it should be re-
membered that the leading producers
maintained steel rails at SIS without any
advance, while Bessemer pig iron rose
from $1575 in 1901 to S22.S5 early last
year, ahd other grades of pig iron adj
Vanced even more sharply. Hence. ii
IS not surprising that there is an effort
60 continue stability, although it is
true that the reaction in pig iron has
carried Bessemer down to $13.S5- Large
sales OF scrap iron and steel have
brought greater strength and wire prod
ucts are quoted 81 a ton higher.
Conservatism still marks the course
of both buyers and manufacturers OF
cotton goods. Undoubtedly consumption
inclination to anticipate requirements
Further moderate advances in quota
tions are asked by the mills and small
orders are placed, quick delivery being
asked in every case.
Footwear buyers have appeared in
the Boston market and are placing lib
eral orders for spring delivery in the
south and west, while taking some sam
pies of fall shoes. Hides are more ac-
tive, and prices firmly maintained, with
some advances, especially in foreign dry
hides.
Failures this week numbered 324 il
the United States, against 267 last year
and p in Canada. compared with 80 {
year ago.
TnCC 0RO nEEn ~Exn