Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-18
FINE TRADE PROSPECTS
ABUNDANT CROPS AND steel
PRODUCTS.

Bradstreet's review OF the oversold week
says:
''Confldence increases as crops, promis-
ing large. IL not record yields. In nearly all
Instances. approach maturity. and jobbing
operations. demand from first hands and
orders from manufacturers broaden as the
month advances Distribution OF dry goods,
particularly of cotton fabrics, has been on
large scale at firm or advancing prices.
and other wearing apparel building mate
rial. iron and steel. agricultural implements.
hardware and raw wool have all been
moved freely.
Prices have been notably strong. except
for new crop cereals and for cotton. which
feel the influence of large present or pros
pecttve crops Selling by farmers of new
wheat has been checked by the lowest
prices paid for four years past
Railway operations continue Immensely
profitable. as shown by increased dividends
announced by leading Pacific railroads and
by reports for the month of July pointing
to a gain of IA per cent in gross receipts
over year ago. with gains widespread In
all sections
Iron prices stifren and the fears of a
runaway market increase. There Is even
evidence Of improvement in western btu
minous coal. hitherto in an unsatisfactory
condition.
Complaints of scarcity of labor affecting
output come from every section OF the
country. Collections are rather better on
the whole. though complaint Is made that
they do not increase relatively as fast as
does the volume of business transacted.
Business failures in the United States
for the week ended August 16 number 143.
against 137 last week. and lat in the like
week Of 1905, 203 in 1904 and 1873 in 1908,
and 181 in 1902. In Canada failures num-
Der %. as against 10 last week and % in
this week year ago.
Review by Dun Agents.
R. G. Dun G. Co.'s weekly review of trade
says:
Abundant crops and an oversold steel
Industry engender sentiments of confidence
that make the outlook bright for a continu-
ance of present prosperous business condi-
tions. Each week brings a new highwater
mark in some department. and the net re-
suit is uniformly better than for the CORE
spending week in any previous year. The
weather has favored both crops and the
distribution of merchandise, while the lat
ter is increased by seasonable bargain
sales.
Despite unprecedented preparations for
business by liberal purchase of rolling
stock the railways are facing a serious
traffic blockade that cannot be avoided
when the crops begin to move freely. Earn
1ngs thus far reported for August were
!l.' per cent larger than last year. some
damage by storms was reported. but of
local erect only, and a more significant
factor was the further voluntary advance
in wages at the textile mills
NO relief appears as to the supply of
labor, production being reduced in some
cases where consumers are most urgent.
Fall ,dry-goods jobbing trade broadens,
clothing manufacturers make heavy ship
ments and the leading industries are usual
ly supplied with orders, assuring active
machinery well into next year.
July foreign commerce for the whole
country far surpassed the same month in
any previous year, especially as to i'm
ports. which were close to the largest In
any previous month. and at this port alone
for the last week there were gains of
S5.S91. 46S in imports and 81. 519s33 in ex-
ports, as compared with the same week in
1906"