Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-31
End of 1904 Finds the Country's
Trade In Better Shape Than
at the Beginning
INDUSTRY OF LARGE VALUE
Cotton Goods Manufacturing Business
Has Suffered From the Slump in
Cotton 20 Below Cost Of Production
Holiday Trade Has Been Large
Bradstreet's Review.
York, Dec. 31.-Bradstreet's to-

New York, Dec 31.-Bradstreet's to-
day says:
Distributive trade generally is wax
ing up A period of marked, even UNI
expected activity in holiday goods of
higher than usual quality has brought
to close year which, because of
marked Improvement in the last quar-
ter has ended better than 1t began, and
certainly in far better shape than
seemed possible at the turn of the year.
Wholesale trade is the lightest at this
season of stock taking and Inventory,
and the storm area and the furry in
raw cotton have been additional chill
ing influences. Rather less than the
annual clearing sales have occurred
because Of the notable absence OF
stocks of goods pressing for sale. Col
lections show some effect from the re-
cent heavy circulation of money in re-
tail lines in enlarged receipts.
Industry is OF notably larger volume
for this season Of the year, especially
in iron and steel and kindred lines OF
manufacture. The cotton goods man
ufacturing trade has, however, been
again unsettled by the slump in cotton
to below cost Of production and south
ern trade has been depressed In tone
thereby other developments have been
largely favorable.
The drouth in the west has been
pretty thoroughly broken by rains, and
the Ohio valley particularly Is being
benefited thru the enlarged movement
OF coal and coke and freer movement OF
rail transportation. The improvement
in the winter wheat situation further
west has been a feature. Railway earn
ines are favorable in that increased
earnings are are quite general, and the
only drawback is the country wide re-
ports Of car shortages
Detailed kilograms to Bradstreets
show and exceptionally large holiday
trade northwest.
At the west an important feature has
been the breaking up of the winter
wheat drought Storms have delayed
traffic and Increased congestion. At
the east distributive trade is quiet,
while manufacturing except at Fail
River, Is active.
The iron and steel trade shows much
more than seasonable activity In cur
rent demand and production and al
most unprecedented confidence as re-
CARDS the outlook for business and
prices next year. Finished products
are strong, tending upward, In fact.
Prices of other metals have hardened
this week, copper, on good demand, adj
lvancing to the highest point yet reach
ed.
Tin also advanced. Southern trade
feels the slump in cotton keenly, but
there Is disposition to believe that
the south will not sacrifice its product
at below production cost.
Wool is low, and the stocks on hand
are the lowest in years.
Business failures in the United
States for the week number 218. against
249 last week, and 209 in the like week
In 1903.
In Canada failures for the week
number 20, against 81 last week. and
IS this week a year ago.
Wheat dncluding four) exports for
the week ending December 20 aggre-
gate 9S1.140 bushels, against l,oSo,7sS
bushels last week, 2,195,306 this week
last year, and 3,336,206 in 1902. From
July / to date the exports aggregate
34.74s,327 bushels, against S6l5o,1S6
last year, and 129,056,225 in 1902.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
1,5S2,342 bushels, against l,S62,893 last
week, 987,653 year ago. From July
to date the exports Of corn aggregate
15,50O,334 bushels, against 2s,623,S36
in 1903, and 1,662,337 In 1902.