Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-02-20
BRADSTREET'S.
Unbroken Cold Weather Not
| Favorable to Industry
Mid-Winter Conditions Bar to Growth
in Spring Trade.
War Influences Cut Figure in Course
of Prices.

New York. Feb. 1o.-Bradstreet's
trade review will, tomorrow. sav:
Nild-Winter conditions are a bar to
growth III spring trade and interfere
sEeatiy with transportation and out
doof activities generally. The feeling
S mat while spring trade will be later
than a year ago, this drawback can be
largely offset If good weather SUPER
Vche5 later. Considerable doubt still
exists rs to the effect the most severe
winter in recent years has upon the
wheat crop planted last fall, but def
mite information must await the ap-
pcarance of warm weather. While fav-
orable to some lines, notably coal and
heavJ- winter wearing apparel the gen.
erai effect OF the unbroken cold wealth
er upon industry is not favora ble
failWay gross earnings in January
showed the first decrease reported
since February. 1889, and the first de-
crease reported in January since 1897.
War Influences cut Il large figure in the
course OF prices which with few excen-
tl6ns, has been upward. Flour wheat.
corn, oats ana pork all made new high
records, those of wheat and -four be-
inS the highest reached since 1898, and
tea, butter, tin and copper also adj
tIiced, though not in all cases owing
10 present or threatened hostilitics.
GttOn ana coffee were conspicuous
exceptions TO the general advance, but
this Was G!le to a continuance of the
liquidation under way for some time
past and III" iron weakened as the re-
suit Of backward demand, enlarGing
production ani reported increasing
stoci1s
Cotton weakened early on war nowz
AMI liquidation, but after 2 break OF
40 points in spots and futures, evil
dences Of ON Ncrselling by shorts. scar
city O. actual cotton. rather better
buying by consumers. and very light
receipt: caused Il rally which LOOKS as
if it might go further.
At tho cast, the shoe trade stems
rather quiet. Eastern shipments are
seven rcr cent. below 1908. and manu-
factu"crs aIe not orer-buey. Leather
remains firm OH small stocks. Boston
sales of drySuois are reported better
than year ago, but this is hardly true
ut New York, though interest is in
~rca sing
Tho job1ing dry goods trade has
ilithcfl up NClI Il New \ Ork ana ItOS
ton. this week, and first hands have
been 10 less confident although the
recent drop in raw cotton has tended
to umscttie bIrcrs' views Nothing like
the activity Of a year ago is reportable
as yet, but weather conditions may be
responsible" for this. In Woolen goods
the demand 70" mems wear fabrics for
next fall is disappointing. and though
Tt.er
good sales of winter goods clothing
men are not feeling rs confident as 4
year ago. Wool is in hand-to-mouth
demand with prices arranged to suit
actual buyers.
Stock market activity at New York
is restricted. Depressing tendencies
from abroad. combined with poor rail-
road earnings and inactivity in trade.
due to the prolonged winter, affect
prices Enf2VOrably.
Tie iron trade is still Irregular in
pig iron. i, is weaker. but on the other
hand the railways are still taking rails
Some implement men are buying frccl,-
o.. bars It'd structural. 2nd Wire ana
nails are mora in request at the West
Talk of high prices for Wire goods T.;
heard.
The lumber trade is quiet ut thy
East. and this is true also Of othe:
buildin@ material, which feels the CT
feet Of cold weather. Reports from
Maine are that Il large ice crop Of .ll,.
Quality has been harvo d. Sugar is
steady ;nh tends to improve on To-
dur"d offerings. increased MEETINGS ana
good steady demand.
business failures 70" the week end
ing with Feb. Is. number 231, against
l%6 IN :hc like Weel; i'll 1908.