Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-12
CONDITION OF TRADE
EXPLOITED By REPORTS OF THE
COMMERCIAL AGENCIES.
Expansion Of the Fall orders-0eneral
Business Responds to tho Good
Crop Advices.

eral trade forecast says:
Fall trade, stimulated by excellent crop
advices. continues to expand at wholesale.
Increased purchases, wider range of Sc
lection and some improvement In collec
tons are noted east. west and southwest.
Lines noting special activity at the west
are dry goods. notions. hardware. lumber,
groceries and shoes One half OF the 1905
wool clip Is already sold, worsted manu-
facturers report orders booked for six
months. the shoe and leather trades are
doing an increasing business at steadily
advancing prices, cotton goods sellers can
not begin to satisfy requests for prompt
shipments, finished iron and steel shows
great activity. and, although there is some
unrest in labor matters the Industrial sit
uat1on reveals few important flaws Prices
OF cereals and cotton show some easing on
better crop reports or increased movement.
put taking staple prices whole. the
level of values is at the highest point
reached in midsummer for fifteen years
past.
Farmers are busy on harvest work. and
retail trade Is naturally quiet but in
creased number OF fall buyers Is noted in
all leading markets. Cotton bleached goods
have been advanced this week, prints are
scarce and in demand and worsted goods
sell well. with mills reporting six months
orders ahead. An average advance OF 90
per cent In raw wool Is shown over this
tiIne a year ago.
The New Cotton Crop.
The south has obtained good prices for
its last crop, which was a very large one
and the new crop is now beginning to
move before the old one Is all disposed Of
Better weather has helped crop and trade
prospects in the eastern half OF the cot
ton belt. Alabama's pig iron output will
run 10 per cent ahead of that OF 1904.
dcfr od1rino tha%
crop OF the south will be the best ever
made. and that the southwestern crop is
we'll nigh assured. In Illinois, Indiana and
Ohio dry weather or heat has caused firing
and rain is needed. In the northwest spring
wheat is being cut with little or no COM
PLANT as to rust damage, and a good wheat
and hop crop is looked for in the north
Pacific states. California wheat oats and
barley will yield below an average.
Wheat. including flour, exports for the
week are $685. bushels against O41 ,696
last week. 1,2s1 800 this week last year.
g. Alb 191 in 1903, and SOL ,9O5 in 1902 From
July l to date the exports are 5,23S. 645
bushels. against 7.s46.771 last year. IS, AGO.
- in 1903, and % COS in 1902
Corn exports for the week are 1,l52 AL
bushels against 1,Ol3.675 last week 800 .222
year ago, 707,37S in 1868 and 93423 in 1902
FROM July l to date the exports of corn
are $500 O4 bushels, against 3.27a.131 In
1904 6.949. $50 in 1903 and 5S7 .76O in 1902
Business failures for the week numbered
1876 against 17S last week. 1877 In the like
week of 1904. l60 in 1903, 1s1 in 1862 and 17s
in 1901
The Dun Agency Review.
r. G. Dun & Co.'S Weekly Review of
Trade says:
Trade reports are less uniformly favor
able. but adverse factors are of temporary
nature and the net results for the week are
satisfactory. Numerous strikes have occur
red, exerting the customary pernicous in
fiuence over business, and the epidemic of
yellow fever is restricting southern trade.
On the other hand thermal conditions have
facilitated retail trade: crop prospects have
greatly improved, and out-of-town buyers
are numerous in all the leading markets.
Manufacturing plants are increasingly
tive, textile mills still occupying the strong
est position, while shoe shops are not MAX
Ing concessions to get business. Iron fur
naces and steel mills make progress but
less rapidly. Lumber mills and dealers are
having an exceptionally busy season
Railway earnings in July were IA per
cent greater than in the same month last
year, and foreign commerce at this port for
the last week showed an increase of $3.317,-
439 In imports, while exports decreased
81 $780, 27. Little change has occurred In the
financial situation, rates ruling easy. while
prices OF securities have risen close to the
highest point on record. Bank exchanges at
New York for the week were AS per cent
larger than last year. and at other leading
cities the increase amounted to 14O per
cent.
4hc Aiou duo otc01
Recovery in the iron and steel industry
comes more slowly than was anticipated,
yet there are numerous indication of a
better tone Quotations are practically I'M
changed. Export trade is expanding and
several important contracts pending
that will add large tonnage ia the bust
ness of the mills when satisfactory terms
can be arranged.
Textile markets have had the stimulus
of an increa sed attendance of western buy
ers. AT present the only event that might
weaken the position Of cotton manufac-
turers would be the cancellation OF Chinese
orders. as many mills have withdrawn from
the market on account of export trade.
Wooden goods are meeting with steady de-
mand
Raw materials of the footwear industry
continue strong. hides commanding the
highest position since the civil war and
showing no indication of reaction. Foot
wear markets respond to the upward tend
ency of materials in far as ANY changes
are recorded but western shoe jobbers have
not placed the customary amount of spring
orders. owing to disagreement as to values.
Failures this week numbered 222 in the
United States. compared with DOB a year
ago, and 10 In Canada. against 80 last year"