Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-23
DUN'S REPORT.
UnfavorabIe Weather Drawback
to Improvement in Business.
Desirable Weather Will Remove the
Anxiety Re- arding Wheat.
The Retail Distribution Of Footwear
10 Slow.

New York, April 22.-R. o.. Dun Il
Cos. weekly review of trade will say
tomorrow:
Unreasonable weather is still the
chief drawback to improvement in
business, complaints being received
from every section of the country and
slower collections are also attributed to
this factor. Not only is current distri-
button of Merchandise, particularly dry
godos, affected by the thermometer, but
future commitments are undertaken
most conservatively on account of the
possible injury to crops. There has been
much talk of damage to cotton but re-
planting may prevent any reduction in
the total yield, and a few weeks of de-
sirable weather would remove anxiety
regarding wheat.
There is much confidence regarding
the future despite the fact that at
many points SUPPLIES OF merchandise
are burdensOme. With the exception of
wearing apparel, manufacturing plants
are increasingly active and structural
work is gradually resumed to some
proportions for the season. May first
is usually the date fixed for many labor
controversies, but this year there is
littI,, prospect of serious disturbance
Baltimore reports further delay in re-
building the burned district and Toron-
to has been added to the list of cities
devastated by fire.
While no further Improvement can
be discerned in the iron and steel in
dustry, it is gratifying to find no dis
tinct evidence of setback. Nor is it
certain that n temp orary check to pro-
gress is to be deplored.
Present hesitation is directly due to
the failure of the leading interest to
take up an option on pig iron at its
maturity. in conjunction with the APP
parent cancellation of several smaller
orders.
Improvement continues in the leather
market. especially as to hemlock and
union sole. Retail distribution of foot
wear Is slow and wholesalers have not
disposed of summer styles sufficiently
to place supplementary orders so that
factories are Ovcrtaking contracts and
more machinery is idle. Stocks of
spring and summer drygoOds are large
in the hands of dealers, and few in
Quiries are received by jObbers or man
ufacturers. Demands at first hands are
few, and further curtailment of produce
ton by cotton mills has not strength
cned the market.
On the contrary. prices are in favor
Of buyers sales of print cloths being
reported as low as 31Zc. and the atti-
tude of buyers in the primary makrt
indicates IA disposition to await better
terms. No improvement has occurred
in wOolCns and worstedS and the pro-
duction of idle silk machinery has i'll
creased.
Slightly lower prices prevail in the
leading agricultural staples, although
the week has been one Of great irrcgu-
larity and several wide fluctuations.
Full official returns of foreign COM
meroe for the month of March We're IN
the whole more satisfactory than week
Is reports indicated. although in many
respects falling short of recent months
OF the corresponding month last year
Failures this week number 24l i'll the
United States against l6G last year and
T. in Canada compared with Is a year
ago.