The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-15
HOLIDAY TRADE IS
NOW IN FULL SWING
Steady Gain in Distribution of
Winter Goods
LABOR SUPPLY IS SCARCE
Inability of Cotton Manufacturers to
Deliver Goods Is the Controlling
Factor In Primary Markets.
Car Shortage flinders.
LABOR SUPPLY is SCARCE

New York, December 14-R. G. Dun &
Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow
will say:
Holiday trade mOnopolizes attention, al
though there is a steady gain in distribu-
tion of winter goods as the temperature
| becomes more seasonabIe. Some irregu-
larity is still noted in collections, attrib-
uted to high money rates or failure to
market the crops. This would make the
one adverse feature of the commercial
situation indirectly due to the three most
striking evidences of national prosperity,
scarcity of men. money and railway IA
calties
The inadequate supply of labor is at
tested by numerous increases in wages at
textile mills, and in many other occupa-
lions; the financial situation is shown by
the heavy deficit of the Associated Banks,
and the sixth measure of relief this year
, by the Secretary of the Treasury and
complaints of freight blockades are nu-
merous, one shipper at the south stating
that hundreds of tons of pig iron have
not yet started, although the cars were
| loaded in October.
There is little idle machinery at leading
manufacturing plants, the urgency for
| quick delivery being most noticeable at
steel and cotton mills, and all are well
engaged.
A few quotations for iron advanced
during last week, notable Bessemer iron
| and light rails, but in most sections OF
| the market there was stability and pur
ohasers of pig iron for delivery during
| the last half of 1907 were reluctant to
contract at present prices.
Inability of cotton goods manufacture
| ers to make deliveries is the controlling
| factor in the primary ,markets at the
present time Stocks in other positions
| must be badly depleted, or there would
! not be such pressure for prompt ship
ment, while the difficulty encountered in
| endeaVoring to obtain needed supplies has
| changed the attitude of purchasers from
| the former hand to mouth policy to an
| eagerness to avoid a repetition of the
| present inability to supply the trade.
| Some of this forward business covers
deliveries up to next September, a few
mills having already sold their entire out
put for that period. There is practically
no export demand, but this is most for
| tunate just now because any further com
petition would threaten an unhealthy in
fiatlon of prices. More new lines of wool
ems have been shown, but the general
market is not yet fully opened, and buy
finer grades will not be put on the mar
ket until January.
Following the recent market activity it
| was to be expected that more quiet con-
! ditons should prevail in the market for
| hides Prices are fully maintained, how
ever. Leather is strong, especially sole.
New England shoe manufacturers re-
oeive satisfactory supplementary con-
tracts for spring goods and fair sample
fall orders
At the exchanges dealings in the lead
Ing farm staples the only important in
fiuences of the week was supplied by the
official reports.
While it is somewhat early to have
very definite information regarding the
next crop of winter wheat, the depart
ment of agriculture has approximated
final results so closely in the December
reports of recent years that its promise
of new high record production had a
natural tendency to lower quotations The
decline was not severe, however. chiefly
because inadequate railway facilities con-
tinued to restrict receipts at primary
markets. There was n much more violent
response to government figures in the cot
ton market, where the price fell to the
position held month ago before the
sharp advance to the highest point of the
, season.
Liabilities of commercial failures thus
| far reported for December amounted to
| s2S64, 43i of which $l,S24,041 were i'm man
! Gfacturing, S1.022.69S in trading and 1860
| i'll other commercial lines.