Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-19
CONDITION OF TRADE
RxPonrs BY THE coMMERcIAL
AGENCIES

Dispatches to Dun's Review indicate that
business br0adens as the season advances.
and the decrease Ia labor conflicts has added
much to the production at manufacturing
plants. Philadelphia reports that mAnufac-
turers and dealers in wearing apparel are
well occupied. collections fairly prompt and
prospects encouraging. Jobbers report a
heavy movement of merchandise at Pitts
burg. Unreasonable weather has retarded
retail traders at Reading.
More favorable weather facilitates trade
at Baltimore and wholesale business Is nor
NAL Sales of agricultural implements and
some staple lines Of merchandise are larger
at Richmond than last month or a year ago.
but 1t is the duh season In other divisions
and collections are somewhat slow.
Fall dry goods buying has just begun at
Atlanta, and indications favor good sea-
son. Collections are slow. Footwear and
clothing are unusually active for the sea-
son at St. Louis. Retail trade at Kansas
City shows a good gain, but wholesale trade
Is affected by the crop outlook. rain being
needed, and collections are less satisfactory.
Trade and manufacturing at ST. Joseph pro-
crossed favorably and collections are good
Strike settlements have improved the sit
uation in Chicago. Mercantile collections
Toledo Is satisfactory. Tobacco trade Is
scasonably quiet at Cincinnati. Trade In
agricultural supplies at Minneapolis has
been stimulated by the completion of seed
ing: demand for lumber is brisk, but gen.
eral retail business and collections are slow.
AT st. Paul factories are well employed.
while payments are more prompt. Ample
rain in southern California makes the crop
outlook bright, and building operations at
Los Angeles are extensive.
Bank exchanges continue marvelously
heavy, the total this week for all leading
cities in the United States being s2,72o.o64,-
1856. a gain of 11.3 per cent over the corre-
spending week of last year.
Bradstreet's Report.
Bradstreets report will say:
Retail trade expands with warmer wealth
er and the settlement of labor troubles;
jobbing recorder business Is of full season
able volume, San Francisco demand being
a feature; fall orders are equal to, and in
many lines In excess Of, last year at this
period; industry, except in some sections
OF the soft-coal country, Is as active as
ever before, and the return tide of currency
from the country is evidenced by increasing
western bank deposits and perceptibiy easier
money
Lack OF moisture in portions of the win
ter-wheat belt is responsible for the first
irregularity of the season In crop reports,
but spring wheat and corn are doing well,
and while oats are thin, needing rain. dam
age to cotton from frost has been slight,
vegetables being chiefly affected Railway
earnings show gootl gains.
Building activity makes for a large sale
OF lumber, hardware, paints, glass and other
material. and the iron and steel industry,
while showing some irregularity In foundry
pig prices, due probably to the holders
strike, draws great confidence from the
large volume of orders booked for steel
rails for next years delivery.
Prices show great steadiness at close to
record levels. and cereals and cotton, while
showing strength on crop deterioration re-
ports. find just as much support in the fact
that supplies are far from unwieldy, in
view of unquestionably active consumptive
demand. Collections tend to improve. Fine
cotton goods are in active demand and firm.
but some few coarse goods are reported
easier. Fall orders are reported In excess
OF year AGO. and there are no burden
some stocks to speak of. Wool is quiet at
the east but more active at western points.
Wooden dress goods are In active request.
Business failures in the United States
for the week ended May II number 161,
against 162 last week 191 in the like week
Of 1905, 215 in 1904, 1856 in 1903 and 152 in
1902. In Canada failures for the week num-
Der 10, as against % last week and II in
this week year ago"