New-York tribune., 1905-01-07
REcE1vERsH1Ps FOR THE YEAR 1904.
CONDITION OF TRADE.
'Dun's ReYiew" says:

Aside from some hesitation at the South. owing
to the recent fall in price of cotton. business con-
evidenced by extensive preparations for active
trade. AS annual reports appear it is found that
hibit than the first half which the new year
ers assuring liberal contracts in the future
replenishinS supplies A few minor labor contro-
more active, and in most branches of manufacturs
there is steady decrease in the proportion OF idle
goods reporting So per cent OF all plants in Oper-
aGn: az on storms rms nave agaln caused temporary delay
cent influence. more than offsetting any injury in
December were ga per cent larger than In the same
month of 1905. Winter wheat conditions have i'm
prevent the threatened curtaiment OF acreage.
Buyers are arriving IN the Leading markets and in
be placed. Dispatches from other cities are gen
ducing stocks and spring openings we'll attended:
the carpet manufacture at Philadelphia is improv-
more. and the outlook is bright: stock taking and
dence is felt in the futures Milwaukee reports in
crease Of 50 per cent in value of manufactured
trade at this port shows a gain of S742 $50 IA ex-
ports. and loss Of 81 S7s.SSS in imports as com
tinues to go out OF the country without prodGc-
ing S{Tingency I'M IN the money market and PRICES OF
less active. Bank exchanges at New-York for the
week were S7;s per cent larger than year ago and
at other leading cities there was gain of 81 per
cent
"Bradstreets" says:
Seasonable quiet rules distribution at present
Consideration OF past favorable results and prep
aratons for what is confidently hoped TO be a
prosperous years trade engross wholesalers and
jobbers. Cold weather however makes for fair
retail trade IN winter goods, ard this with neces-
sary replenishment of broken stocks induces a
fair reaSsorting demand at leading centres But
trcsstng the expectations of a satisfactory spring
trade TO the fair volume of orders al
ready booked in leading lines Of drygoods shoes
clothing and kindred articles and the generally
small stocks reported carried in dnal distrfbuterS
hands. Western jobbers' stocks reported 10 to
50 per cent smaller than a year ago at this date
and this fact coupled with the knowledge that the
coming three and six months business will COM
pare with a reduced volume year ago leads 10
the belief that comparisons from now on will
favor the present year. Other features coming
to hand suggestive OF favorable INTERPRETATION are
the activity In many lines OF Industrial effort
notably iron and steel and it's many side lines
cloud on the Industrial activity in New England is
however, the stagnat1on in the bitumfnOus coal
trade growing out Of the car shortage in that
section. Congestion on the railways is NOT con-
fined 20 this section entirely. The coal. coke iIm-
ber ore and grain trades note the presence OF this
as disturbing element in the Central West South
Southwest and Northwest. December gross rail-
way earnings promise to show gain OF at least
per cent and 10 close the year 1904 with slight
gain over 1908, hitherto the best recorded cur
rent failure and clearings returns make excellent
comparisons with the first week OF 1904 and the
annual returns as a whole better than "a rIier
seemed possible. Money remains easy as hereto
fore. and collections. swelled by holiday results
compare fav"rably with the year before.