The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-24
BUSINESS BETTER
Fall Trade Shows an Increase
Over Last Year.
Both Wholesale and Retail Has
Grown in Volume.
FARMER HOLDING ON.
Show Disposition to Keep Pro-
ducts for Better Prices.
Railway Earnings Show a Con-
siderable Advance.
FARMER HOLDING ON

New York. Sept 24-Bradstreet's
says.
Cool weather. while retarding or
injuring some late crops. has been
stimulating to fall trade. both whole
sale and retail. which shows an ap-
parent increase in volume over year
ago. The improvement is most marked
in dry goods. clothing. groceries.
shoes and hardware Distributive
trade is better in the northwest. por-
lions OF the east. and very generally
throughout the south The central
west also shows continuance of the
Improvement noted last week. and
widespread moderate betterment in
collections is a feature deserving spe-
cial mention disposition is shown
on the part of farmers to hold their
products for better prices, this being
true in many sections. notably the
gOLth and northwest
%The labor situation is rather quiet
on the whole although some notably
large strikes continue unsettled
Among the industries some improve
ment is to be noted in the cruder
forms of iron; buying of pig iron is
rather better. particularly in portions
or the west, but finished products rsili
70 respond literally to recent price re-
ductjons- Some eastern industries.
notably the manufacture OF jewelry.
shoes. silverWare and machine tooIs,
report Improvement. but the cotton
goods industry still purSues a hating
course. price uncertainties breeding
conservatism Wool has been firm THIS
week. the statistical position being a
strong one. and the firmness being
aided by reports of further contem-
plated advances in the finished prod
uct- Dress woolens have been and are
in good demand. but mems fabrics
have hardly moved as fast as de-
sired
Business failures in the United
States for the week ending September
~ number 2O3. against 16T last week.
1S5 in the like week in 1903, 172 in
1902. 197 in 1901, and 169 in 1900
In Canada failures for the week
number p. as against % last week
and IS in this week a year ago."
r. 3. Dunn & Co.'S Weekly Review
OF Trade says
dence increases wHh the harvesting of
the crops and mercantile collections
are less tardily met Lower tempera-
cure stimulates the demand for fall
and winter wearing apparel and there
IS more disposition to prepare for the
future rather than to conflne opera |
tions within the limit of immediate re-
Quirements- This Improvement is ex-
tending 10 all departments of manu- /
1acture. and in the aggregate there is 1
less idle machinery than at any recent (
have helped in the development OF this I
favorable condition Railway earnings /
for September were ST per cent larger
than a year ago. and foreign commerce
a this port for the last week shows \
gain Of s.. 945.6S7 in exports. as cont |
pared with 1903. although imports de- 4
creased 1850 There is no evidence
OF anxiety among consumers OF iron I
and steel 10 place large orders or to /
secure quick delivery, yet the tonnage
gradually expands and II is evident /
that the lowest point Of the depression /
has passed Production steadily in
creases. prices are more readily main
tanned and the number Of pending con-
tracts promise well for the future 1t is /
n rrirr division
the leader. Improvement being OF A
general character that is most whole
some Haste in starting up coke fur
naces augurs well for the future ana
the better demand for bituminous coal
IS encoura ging- Tin is cratic in re-
spouse 10 London fluctuations rather
than any domestic influence. but cop
Der is strong because of heavy exports
Moderate gains continue to be made
by the textile industry. particularly as
TO woolens and worsteds- Staple lines
are TUoted somewhat higher, and
prompt deliveries are urged by pur-
chasers. Increased activity at the mills
has helped to sustain the eastern mar
kets for wool. and brisk competition at
the London auction sale was also a
factor of Importance Irregularity in
cotton goods must be attributed TO an
cratic demand that emanates from
uncertainty regarding the raw mater
fal. Activity IS greatest in cases where
stocks are low, and this urgent bust
ness is done at full prices, but conces-
sions occur on other sales that call for
future delivery. F1rmness continue in
packer hides. independent tanners
making liberal purchases Large sales
of branded and Colorado hides are re-
corded and there is the usual conceS-
sion on hides taken of during the
strike by inexperienced men Country
hides are weaker. but receipts OF for
eign dry hides are quietly absorbed
Lower grades of hemlock sole leather
are still active and other lines are
steady but quiet Boot and shoe job
~.Tr Lam r7-N
tary orders for fall shoes. stipulating
quick delivery. which indicates that
their holdings are small
Failures this week aggregated %