The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-27
TREND EASIER.
BUSINESS CONDITIONS GENERAL
LY ACTIVE, ALTHo THE Wealth
Err rs UNREASONABLE.

! New York, jan q .--Bradstreet today says:
| s'Barring a touch of cold weather in the west,
| the season still retains Its previous appearance
of q mild. open winter, with natural effects
upon retail trade, Industrial operations in gen
eral and prices. of many commodities which
| tend downward. Perhaps the most notable
feature at present is the continued activity in
building, which has practically gone without
a break and which is making new records in
prices OF lumber and in demand for other ma
terials.
''Fina1 distribution Is still being stimulated
by forced sales at retail, and few lines of
wholesale business, notably heavy clothing and
rubber goods, reflect ,upreadiness to buy freely
for next seasons wants. AS to spring trade
only optimistic reports are current. Shipments
are being called for and, made freely, open
weather faYoring the railways as rarely before
to handle the large business offering. --
! IA freer movement OF cereals to makers has
made for ease in prices which lack aggressive
new export demand. The excellent condition
OF the farming interests is shown by very
heavy buying OF agricultural implements at the
west and of fertilizers at the south, the latter
apparently presaging a heavy acreage in cotton
the coming spring. Needed snow covering is re-
ported in many parts of the winter wheat belt
heretofore bare, and good reports come from
Texas and California the results of recent
heavy precipitation. The cold following the
storm seems to have done no harm in the Sec
tons affected.
Demand for structural iron and steel is
favored by the open winter, coal and coke cas-
ing for the reason and record con-
tracts for pipe have been awarded with re-
sultant large sales of low-grade pig iron. Col
1ections generally range from fair to good
Money is easier and in better supply. Reports
as to spring trade in cottons is optimistic
as heretofore. Raw wool is steady with more
inquiry and confidence based upon firm London
prices. Clothing manufacturers at 1.-THE east are
reported to have good-sized stocks of heavy goods
left their hands,
THE railways doing an excellent business.
Reports of leading roads for the first half of
January are the best of which there is record,
showing they do gain Of nearly 10 per cent
last year.
Business failures in the United States for
the week ending Jan. %, 1905, number 275
against 2T9 last week. 23S in the like week
OF 1905 242 in 1904, $50 in 1908 and 30S in 1902.
In Canada failures for the week number SO
against 362 last week and 43 in this week a
year ago.
Wheat. including flour, exports for the week
ending Jan. % 3,433, $50 bu against 3,44SS6
last week, 1,101, 5S7 this week last year.
2,917, 602 in 1904 and APO, O65 in 1908 From
July to date. the exports are S0.671 ,239 bu
against 39,116.TS5 last year, 9s,747,11S in 1904
and lac, 1891. $50 in 1908.
Corn exports for the week are 5,633,265 bu
against 5,944,571 last week. $685., 1873 a year
ago, 1,469, 596 in 1904 and 9, 045 600 in 1908.
From July to date the exports Of are
60,13S, $50 bu against II, Sal 1852 in 1905 49,
402 in 1904 and 2O.335,s1s in t9o3.''