The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-07
Wholesalers and Jobbers Expect
q Big Business.
Activity in Many Lines Of In
dustrial Effort.
ONE CLOUD in SIGHT.
ills In Form Of a Car Shortage
in Some Sections.
Railway Earnings for Past Year
Establish New Record.

New York. Jan. 7.-Bradstreet's says;
.'SeasonabIe quiet rules distribution
at present. Consideration of past
favorable results and preparations for
what is confidently hoped to be pros
porous years trade engrosses whole
salers and 5obbers. Cold weather, how
ever, makes for 3 fair retail trade IN
winter goods and this, with necessary
repIenishment Of broken stocks in
duces a fair reassorting demand at
leading centers. Buttressing the expec-
tations OF a satisfactory spring trade
to come are the fair volume OF orders
already booked in leading lines OF dry
goods, shoes. clothing and kindred ar
ticIes and the generally small stocks
reported carried in final distributors
hands Western Jobbers' stocks are re-
ported 10 to 80 per cent smaller than a
year ago at this date and this fact, cou-
pied with the knowledge that the COM
Ing three and six months business VIII
compare with reduced volume q year
ago, leads to the belief that compari-
sons from now on will favor the pres
ent year.
ssOther features coming to hand sug-
gestive of favorable Interpretation are
the activity in many lines of industrial
effort, notably iron and steel and its
many side lines. A cloud on the indus
trial activity in New England IS, now
ever, the stagnatiOn in the bitumlnous
coal lLdue SiOW1u8 OuL % tue So--
shortage in that section. Congestion on
the railways is not confined to this sec
ton entirely The COAL coke, lumber,
ore and grain trades note the presence
of this as a disturbing element in the
central est, south, southwest and
northwest. December gross railway
earnings promise to show a gain of at
least s per cent and to close the year
1904 with a slight gain over 1903,
hitherto the best recorded
THE whisky market shows increased
activity and strength at leading mar
kets.
IL anything, Outruns demand which.
though quieter, still exceeds otheryears
at this period in the volume Of new
business coming to hand.
Hardware is selling seasOnably well
and a large business is looked for.
Building material is slower, in keeping
with weather conditions Tin is lower
and coffee is not so active Anthracite
coal is helped by cold weather. Blum
inous coal is strong at recent advances.
But the question of deliveries on &C
count of car congestion is a problem,
particularly in New England
Business failures in the United
States for the week ending January 8,
262, against 21S last week: 262 in the
like week in 1904; 336 in 1903; 346 in 1902,
and 800 In 1901.
number Is, as against 20 last week and
40 in this week a year ago.
Dun's Review
Dun's Weekly Review Of Trade says:
Aside from some hesitation at the
South. owing to the recent fall in price
of cotton, business conditions are ia
vorable, and optimistic sentiments are
evidenced by extensive preparations for
active trade AS annual reports appear
it is found that the closing months of
1904 made a much better exhibit than
the first half which starts the New Year
with smaller stocks of goods in the
hands of dealers, assuring liberal con-
tracts in the near future for replen-
ishing supplies. A few minor labor
controversies have arisen, but the Fall
River mills are more active, and in
most branches of manufacture there is
a steady decrease in the proportion Of
idle machinery, one prominent producer
of wooden goods reporting IS per cent
of all plants in operation.
Gross earnings of the railways in De-
cember were GA per cent larger than
in the same month in 1908. Winter
wheat conditions have improved, and
the partial recovery in cotton may pre-
vent the threatened curtailment of
acreage.
Buyers are arriving in the leading
markets and in another week liberal
orders for spring delivery viii be
placed. Dispatches from other cities
are generally encouraging. As invent
cries and repairs are completed the
various departments OF the iron and
steel industry steadily extend operations
and the sentiment is in striking con-
trast to the conservatism that prevailed
q year ago.
A decided change in the tone of coun-
try hides lifted the price of Bluffs to
ten cents or better. and offerings We're
limited. Other grades Of domestic hides
are quiet.
Failures for the week number 30
in the United States against $40 last
year, and 25 in Canada compared with
81 a year ago