Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-09
CONDITION OF TRADE
ALL AGENCIES REPORT VERY
HEAVY HOLIDAY BUSINESS.

Bradstreets report of the week says:
Holiday trade. begun earlier than usual,
promises to break all records. but retail
trade in seasonable goods. rejecting irregu-
lar weather. cold early, but mild later nuc-
tuates In volume Wholesale trade notes
seasonsble ouietness the stock-taking
period approaches. but spring sales are en-
couraging Industries remain active. Iron
and steel and building material. in all its
branches. especially so, and later than or
binary seasonable activity is reported
though current sales tend to narrow In
the textile trades activity is still feature.
The recent large advance In cotton and talk
OF 10 cents for the balance of the crop Is Q
disturbing element in future business. Cur
rent production is however still taxed to
nil orders. Wool is dull and fancy aeeces
rather easier on seasonable quiet In that
line. but primary markets are stin stronR
ana good reports come from clothing trades.
railroad business continues remarkably
heayy, gross receipts for November promis-
ing an increase of per cent over last No
vember. Current bank clearings testify TO
the immense turnover In all trade lines in
November total largely In excess of any
month ever recorded.
Staple prices show unsurpassed strength
All the cereals are higher for the week cot
ton has made another spectacular advance
iron and steel are strong with subsidiary
lines showing advances. and all other met
ais are sympathetically strong Hides
leather and shoes are all strong lumber
ana building materials are firm and the
great mass OF staple prices show effects of
unprecedented demand
The heavy advance here shown is tenn
porariiy beneficial to trade and collections
at the south. but Is viewed with anxiety by
cotton manufacturers. who predict trade
disorganiZation II cotton bulls succeed In
their announced effort to make cotton sell
at 10 cents at the south.
Business failure for the week ended De-
cember number 203, against lss last week
81 IN the IKE week OF 1904, 2I1 in 1903 247
In 1902 and 22S in 1901
In Canada failures this week number 81.
as against 25 last week and % in this week
year ago.
Wheat. including -four. exports for the
week ended December are A. 425. 1862 bush
els. against 3.To8. $50 last week l. 1879 $3.50 this
week last year. 4,IT ,610 in 1903 and 3, T6I ,o4T
IN isVI; From July to date the exports
are ", So, SS7 bushels. against 81 o5s 5Sg Isst
year, 11.536.G09 in 1903 and lIs902 4gf, I'm
asg2 Corn exports for the week are 2 4oo.-
Oh bushels. against 643 S24 last week. 2I5-
Ios a year ago. e41 $40 in 1903 and / ,301 ,2s6
IN No2. From July i to date the exports
or corn are 25. $40 100 bushels against Ii
gu gu 400 IN 1904. 1924. 40 in 1903 and 509s-
BOB In 1902"
Dun Agency Reports.
dispatches to Dun's Review indicate that
more settled weather has brought ont a full
demand for seasonable merchandise ond
the early movement of holiday goods nronn-
ises remarkable aggregate for the wear
merchandise merkets at Boston show n
strong tone. with no decrease in demand
Less idle machinery Is noted in textile
manufacturing at Philadelphia, the whole
ory goods trade is active. but in some quary
tiers payments are Irregular
Wholesale lines at Baltimore show a
ne&thy activity, and orders for future de-
livery make the outlook bright for next
season, manufacturing is on large scale,
ana payments remarkably prompt Bust
nesse conditions are favorable at Charles
ton, but collections are a little backward
because OF holding cotton. Sales exceed
last years at Richmond Hardware Is
active at Atlanta Jobbing trade at Mem
Pills Is satisfactory for the season Textile
mills at Louisville work full time. and gen.
eral trade conditions are encoura gint
Wholesale shoe business Is active
Wholesale business Is active In Kansas
City, but dry goods trade Is slackeninx,
while holiday lines sell well. Orders
ceiyed at st. Louis exceed last years. prices
are firm and collections prompt Manu-
facturers and jobbers at New orleans are
busy. but collections are irregular.
Outlook Is favorable at Detroit; current
sales exceed last years. Conditions at
Chicago are satisfactory. Most manufac-
turing capacity is fully operated. building
operations rapidly pushed and mercan-
tile collections are reasonably prompt
Retail trade continues active at Cincin-
natl. and wholesale distributions are nor
NAL. Cleveland reports increased trade
and mercantile payments satisfa Glory.
building permits surpass last years at In
Cfanapolis. factories run full handed ard
jobbers are busy. but there is some COM
plant OF collections in agricultural COM
munities. Seasonable weather has stimu-
lated trade at Minneapolis; collections ara
satisfactory.
Merchandise movement is large at ST.
Paul and an exceptional holiday business
Is indicated. Portland, Ore, reports that
orders from interior jobbers indicate the
best holiday business on record. and plans
for railway building stimulate Development.
Bank clearings again close to the
highest ever recorded; at some leading
cities they are at the top notch. total ex-
changes this week at all leading cities IN
the United States being So. III, 16S. 1893 an
increase Of g per cent over last year and Of
col per cent over the corresponding week
of 1903