The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-08
BRADSTREEI'S REVIEW
WEEKLY SUMMARY OF PREVAIL
 ING TRADE CONDITIONS.
Trade, Grain and Industrials Favorable Except for Backward Cotton Planting in South and a
 FetV Western Points.

New York, April 7.-Bradstreets to- morrow will say: Trade. grain crops very favorable, exceptions being noted in the South. where cotton planting IS backward and a reduced acreage IS eTese'e% West %here are in indictment s M weather and bad roads tends to check the otherwise full tide of spring activity. Money % continues easy at most psarS,es points, Soa- though many cities report them only fair. Gross railway earnings Tor March indicate gain of g per cent. reports come from the great West. Estimates of the quarters business at the leading Western markets range from to Is per cent. gain over l9Q4. Trade is slower than year ago at the South, but has measurably improved from the depression existing earlier in the year. At the East some lines or business are very active, but the dry goods trade is spotted, owing to the backwardness of demand In some lines of cotton and wool. Linen and silks and such fabrics are inactive.
 In the iron and steel industry mn ished products are eagerly bought and high premiums are paid, but there IS apparently an easier tone to crude pig ahead into the third and fourth guar. foreign prices and freight rates do not favor an early expansion in imports.
 
 The failures in the United States for the week ending April number ITO. against 227 last week and 2Ol in the
 Failures in the Dominion of Canada for the first quarter number SIS.
 Dun's Review.
 New York, April 7.-R. c. Dun & Co.'s weekly review of trade tomorrow will say: Recent gains in the volume of business are fully maintained, put further improvement is somewhat re- tarded by unfavorable weather in some sections, buyers are still arriving at the leading cities, placing addltlonal spring orders and most fall lines that have been opened are meeting With all encouraging reception.
 Despite occasional requests for ex- tensions. collections are more prompt on the whole. Manufacturing returns are all that could be desired, building operations expand as the season ad- vances and agricultural prooucts aIS better than normal. Most new wase and some cases advances are granted while the number of emhploye@@ is is steadily decreasing. Freight tramc IS very heavy. some congestion occurring and railway earnings in March were 92 per cent larger than last year. Foreign commerce at thls port IS very heavy, exports for the iaS, oNs weSK S eH- 590, ,709, while imports increased Sl'- 975,296. .,...
 4 general increase of wages at the plants of the greatest iron and steel producers is another tangible evidence of the improvement in that industry. New orders are coming forward con stantly and it Is probable that ths ton mage of advance business on the books now surpasses all previous high water marks, although there Is some discus sion regarding the low prices at whlcn some of this business was accepted last fall. Railway equipment of all kinds continues to find ready market and there is reasonable activity tp structural steel, while machine shops in all parts of the country are work~ ing at full capacity
 Increased activity is noted in the hide market. Improvement Is also seen in leather. New England foot- wear factories are receiving tair volume of fall contracts from Western and Southern jobbers Little that Is new has developed In the textile indus tries. The cotton situation is some