The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-27
DUN's TRADE REVIEW.

New York, Feb. 26.-R. G. Dun and company's weekly review of trade will say:
 Tn addition to the Interruption of hol- iday, trade and transportation have again suffered because of the severe weather and much outdoor work was forced to await more favorable conditions. Devel- opment of spring trade is naturally slow but this may be fully made up as the season advances. Business proceeds on a conservative basis that promises immu- nifty from the excesses that precipitated the recent setback. Manufacturing plants are gradually restoring Idle machinery. Staple commodities are still inflated by war manipulations, making 1t extremely difficult to ascertain tho actual legitimate situation.
 Foreign commerce at New York for the Ia ast week shows a loss of g. .4s9. .799 in ex- ports and a decrease of $2.5l9.672 in i'm ports as compared with the same week last year. Finances abroad were badly dcmoralized at the close of the last week, and several important failures 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 pay ments, 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 be- ing felt. Bars are sought by implement makers and other works and for plates and sheets the inquiries are increasing. There is urgency for delivery of fuel. sup plies of household sizes of coal being un- usually low for the seaEon.
 Mines and metals are dull and lower with the demand smaller than the supply.
 A slightly firmer tone is discerned in cotton goods. particularly on forward bus iness in heavy staples. There was a ten- dency downward until the return of spe"- ulative interest in the rsw material and the subsequent irreEularity was not pro- ductive of any change in sentiment
 While Eastern shoe shops are busy on old orders wholesalers are not placing supplementary contracts and little new business comes forward.
 The Chicago cattle market has grown dull with interest confined to packer na- tive cows. Foreign dry hides are steady.
 Violent fluctuations have continued in the great staples, legitimate Influences upward being supplemented by manipuia- ton and realizing sales are urecipitatlng reactions. Wide changes from day to day fin the leading commodities indicate an unwholesome and undesirable sltuation that is cue to speculation and that is call culated to check or divert consumpriva demand Wheat led the advance ard was closed afterward by the minor cereals.
 Cotton recovered after ts, holiday, only 10 react more sharply with heavy speculA- tion at very "rratic quotations.
 As usual in an irregular market. there was little legitimate business either for home or foreign spinners. The statistical position grows stronger as the season ad- vances, but, on the other hand. prepsra. str.z- e. creases. further break carried spot coffee to tGe lowest point since the recent campaign was started.
 Liabilities of commercial failures thus far reported for February aggregate SlO.- 796. .116.
 Failures this week numbered 24O in the United States against 211 last week and