The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-18
Low Temperature and DeepSnOw
Have Affected Business.
Manufacturing Suffers From De-
lay in Freight Movement.
PRICES ARE ADVANCED
Railway Earnings Show a Slight
Comparative Decline.
Heavy Increase in Imports
Shown at New York.

New York. Feb. 1s-R. C. Dun &
Co.'S weekly review of trade says:
Weather conditions still dominate
the trade situation. Low temperature
and deep snow have interfered with
traflc and checked the revival of bust
ness that was well under way in most
sections of the country. Retail dis
tributiOn is not maintained and the
deleterious effects are visible in all out
door work, while the interruption to
movement of freight has affected
manufacturing to some extent Prices
of staple commodities at the ex-
changes are advanced by the restri cted
receipts at primary markets. There is
a partial offset in the largely in
creased demand for heavyW eight wear
Ing apparel and other winter goods
which promises to reduce supplies in
al positions at the end of the season.
Meanwhile there is evidence that con-
ndence IN the future remains I'M
shaken, preparations for spring and
summer trade continuing undated ex-
cept where fuel or other supplies are
temporarily blockaded in transit job
bling trade in dry goods is on a liberal
scale Railway earnings thus far re-
ported for February were 1.9 per cent
smaller than a year ago, probably an
other result OF bad weather. Foreign
commerce at this port for the last
week make a remarkable record for
imports, exceeding in value those of
the corresponding week last year by
s4,S76.517. Exports decreased ST.
sO4,SSS-
steel centers indicate no check to pro-
Eress except the temporary interruption
to output and delivery caused by
storms and continued cold weather 1t
Is possible to trace the effect of the ele-
ments upon receipts of coke. which pre-
vented resumption of work at several
blast furnaces
Quotations are firm with little fuc-
tuations, although in several depart
ments it is probable that higher prices
win soon be asked, particularly for tin
plate which the mills cannot deliver
promptly.
In the textile industries the most
significant event of the week was the
revival of export buying of cotton goods
for China.
Accumulation OF packer native hides
caused a fractional decline in price, but
the market is not actually weaker.
Foreign dry hides are scarce and firm.
The volume of business is only fair.
Failures this week numbered 258 IN
the United States against 2S7 last year,
and p in Canada compared with 20 a
year ago"
Bradstreet's says:
Cold, stormy weather, the most Sc
we're and widely distributed in some re-
spects of the winter, has had a depress-
ing effect on the trade at wholesale and
transportation in some sections and
thereby interfered with various lines of
industry such as coal mining, coke and
iron manufacturing and shipping. here
tofore active. Relatively the worst eff
fects on opening spring trade are noted
in the northwest and west. but the
southwest and south have suffered Sc
verely and the east and northeast have
felt the effect in only a shghter degree
The result is a curtailment of the &C
Givities of statesmen over a wide area
which. taken in conjunction with &C
currence Of a holiday in many states,
has reduced the weeks trade to very
small proportions.
Despite this drawback, however,
some favorable features come to light
upon examination. The iron and steel
er. Heavy sales of southern pig iron
are reported north and south, some
large sales of rails are announced at
the west and the nervousness of con-
sumers for supplies is reflected in ad-
vance for a number of lines of finished
products Railway earnings for jan
uary, thought rejecting stormy
weather and grain rate troubles. show
a gain of per cent, this, however,
compared with a decrease of 3.S per
cent in the same month a year ago.
IAN encouraging feature in the dry
goods trade at the east is the in
creased inquiry for cotton goods for
export to China and other countries.
This has resulted in an actual
scarcity of coarse cotton sheetings
and drills for domestic use.
MEMS wear woo1ens are more ac-
tive at New York. There is more ease
in the market for foreign raw woods
Business failures in the United States
for the week ended February I 6 num-
Der 243. against 2O7 last week, 231 in
the like week in 1904: 1873 in 1903
22S in 1902 and 221 in 1901. In Can
ada failures for the week number II
against IS last week and % in this
week year ago"