The Washington herald., 1906-10-27
TRADE STILL BOOMS
Progress Not Checked by Ad-
verse Factors.
IRON PRICES ARE ADVANCING
strikes and Fears of Prospective
...s..s;.- Troubles Are Reported from
some Sections, but Taken, as a
whole, Conditions Are Highly sat
isfactory-Grain Prices steady.

New York. Oct 26.-R. G. Dun & Co.'S
Weekly Review of Trade will say to
morrow:
Traffic delays. high money, and some
unrest IN the ranks of labor have not
checked commercial progress on the
whole. although in special industries or
localities the restraining influence OF these
adverse factors are felt.
IN the iron and steel and cotton manu-
facturers it is question Of deliveries
rather than prices. consumDtiye demands
being far in excess Of the available sup
ply
a further advance Of about 80 cents
per ton in the price OF pig iron is the
best evidence Of continued prosperity in
that industry There is little specula-
ton beyond what might be called legiti-
mate provision for future needs. This
demand runs far into next year. TX
tension of facilities continues in every
department. one plant for the manufae-
ture Of steel cars alone being projected
that VIII cover 32g acres Orders for
thousands OF tons of structural steel
for this one undertaking have been placed.
The mills making these shapes announce
that their books are full up to the mid
die OF next year, In n few cases il IS
stM possible 10 get deliveries within
month.
Cotton Goods I'm Demand.
Improvement in the primary markets
for cotton goods has gone so far that
the conservative operators begin 10 ex-
press a fear that setback will be en-
countered by the curtailment Of me con-
sumption. Prices are now at about the
level Of the SuIly boom. but demand
is much better. The wooden industry is
unsettled. awaiting a general movement
I by cIothiers.
/ Manufacturers of footwear receive lib
eraI orders from jobbers in all sections
Z for winter and early spring delivery
1 Prices are fully maintained. Demand
( for leather is limited TO early needs, but
prices 90 not weaken.
I Commercial failures this week IN the
United States are 2H. against 1s6 last
week Failures in Canada number q.
/ against u last week.
/ Bright, says Bradstreet.
/ In its review Bradsreet's tomorrow
viii say;
Trade is unDrecedentedIy active for the
season. Retail trade has broadened out,
with consequent increase OF the recorder
demand from jobbers, and there is rather
more doing on spring account. Higher
prices for cotton have helped Southern
I trade. inducing freer marketing and en-
Iarginc country trade and collections.
Good reports are also coming from the
/ Central West and Atlantic Coast points,
/ where weather conditions have improved.
/ Something like an unfavOrable cross
current is visible in the Northwest, where
car congestion and overlooking country
/ elevators are complained of as affecting
marketing of wheat. The grain trade gen
orally also complains of the car conges-
ton. causing losses, business being de-
layed.
Premium for spot Iron.
Strikes of grain hand laborers curtail
shipments from some Pacific ports. Re
ports from leading industries are Of IN
abated activity Higher premiums are be
ing paid for what little spot iron can be
obtained; rails are more active and inn
ports OF foreign pig iron are Increasing.
Reports of labor scarcity are still well
nigh universal. and the movement of the
cotton crop. the shipments of lumber, the
outputs OF coal, and the deliveries OF va
rious mills are stiH restricted from this
cause. or by reason Of inadequate car
supply.
Voluntary wage increases are reported
lin numerous lines. but agitatiOns for high
or compensation are numerous among
railway employees.
Taken as "a whole. the situation presents
few flaws -..Ith easier collections has
come some easing of money. The largest
weeks sales Of wool this year are reported
from Boston. and distributlve trade in
footwear shows improvement. due TO late
stormy weather.
The price situation is one Of exceptional
strength Grain prices are very steady.
while cotton has eased on large movement
and rather bearish ginning report. but
other staples are strong at about the
highest levels of the year.