Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-28
CONDITIONS OF TRADE
AGENCY REPORTS SHOW FUTURE
PROSPECTS BRIGHT.

Dun & Co.'S weekly review of trade sayst
BY their magnificent response TO the
needs Of the earthquake sufferers, the
American people have not only given fur
ther evidence of the vast resources of the
nation, but displayed qualities OF heart and
spirit that provide new rea sons for optinl-
Ism regarding the future. San Francisco
VIII rise from Its ashes, greater than be-
FORE. and. aside from some forced selling
OF securities or temporary pressure In the
money market. the nation as a whole will
receive no setback.
Modified demand by the anthracite coal
miners increase the chances OF an early
settlement of the controversy, and other
wise the labor situation Is unusually fres
from friction for this season. Weather
condiuons are favorable for retail trade
and building Separations. while the crop out
look is bright on the whole, although some
sections report delay I'm planting on account
OF excessive moisture. and there is much
complaint regarding the scarcity of labor
A large demand and satisfactory results
are anticipated at the sale of wash fabrics
next week. Manufacturing plants are work.
ing to their full capacity In the leading
industries, and especially iron furnaces and
steel mills, and there is little idle machln-
cry at footwear factories or textile mills
Railway earnings thus far reported for
April surpass last years by 80 per cent.
gain OF s93S,619 in imports and a small
loss OF $2S3,619 in exports, as compared
with the same week of 1905. Prices of the
sixty most active railway securities de-
clined to the lowest average since last
August, and money rules firm, heavy with
drawals by the West offsetting receipts OF
gold from abroad.
Mercantile collections are somewhat fr-
regular which may be traced to financial
stringency. Bank exchanges at New York
show an Increase of 10.4 per cent in COM
parison with last years figures, while at
other leading cities the average gain
amounts to 81 per cent.
Scarcity of billets. sheets and bars is
the striking feature of the iron and steel
industry.
Failures this week numbered 2I5 in the
United States, against 2O4 last year, and
20 In Canada, compared with 10 a year
ago"
Bradstreet's Review.
Bradstreets summary Of the state of
trade says:
TRADE brghtens in consonance with con-
tinued good weather. Trade, crop and in
dustrial reports alike are favorable. and
the spring season, which started little
late. Is making up well for lost time. Good
weather has helped the farmers to catch
up with rather late planting season and
regain lost ground, retail trade has been
helped jobbers report continued liberal
recorders to fill depleted stocks, there is
more doing in fall business, iron ana steel
are very steady, with more confidence as
to the. third and last quarters, and aside
from the coal industry. which Is still stag
mated, though there is even here better
prospect, industry is brisk as seldom. X
ever, before Building is certainly active
beyond precedent for this season. There Is
some improvement noted in collections.
bank clearings are larger. money Is easier,
large gold imports partly balancing heavy
to the Pacific coast, and rail-
road earnings reflect expansion over the
best returns OF preceding years at this
time.
"Business failures for the week ending
April 20 number 1T, against 1871 last week.
1893 in the like week OF 1906. 1877 IN lso4'
lib in 1903 and 174 in 1902.