The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-24
SPRING TRADE IS
At ITS HEIGHT
Turnover Bids Fair to Exceed
Even Last Years
CONGESTION IN IRON TRADE
Due to Floods Closing Down Plttsburs
Furnaces-LulI In Volume of
Business of Cotton
Mills.
CONGESTION IN IRON TRADE

New York, March 2S.-Bradstreet's said
today:
Spring trade Is at its height and the
turnover bids fair to exceed even last
years, the stimuli being furnished by
more favorable weather, and the approach
of eastern visits the country merchants
at the larger centers.
Improvement is reflected all around,
even in the northwest, which now ap-
pears to be getting back to normal con-
ditions.
Collections, while not good, tend to i'm
prove In parts of the country, the south
west being conspicuous in this respect
owing to the fact that the country mer-
chants are dscounting bills. While the
car situation in the west has improved
conditions in the east are worse, but
nevertheless greater movement of
cereals to market may now be expected.
Pig iron shows a little more life and
the undertone of the market continues
strong despite the wishes of consumers.
Manufacturing in general is active and
some lines refuse to book any more or
ders for spring shipment. At the same
time the situation is not without it's cross
currents, some of which probably come
from the lower prices recently witnessed
in the stock market, and difficulty In
procuring money at reasonable rates. 1t
Is reported that some railroads intend to
abandon work on new construction, or
betterments, but the business community
appears to be but slightly disturbed by
these announcements, feeling that the
work must be done sooner or later. Labor
troubles are somewhat more in evidence
though the disturbances are localized.
Eastern dealers in wool appear more
inclined to dispose of stocks in the be-
lief that prices are high, and there is
some hesitancy in placing orders for cot
ton goods for far distant delivery. But
the mills are undiSturbed as they are
heavily sold up.
Somewhat more activity is displayed in
foundry pig iron for future delivery and
now and then demand for spot supplies
become urgent when premiums are OBJ
tanned. In the south where the bulk of
the business has been placed prices have
stiffened. While the floods in the Pitts
burg district caused only a temporary
stoppage of work in the steel and iron
industry, the effects were sufficient to
retard production.
Demand for basic pig is not active as
eastern makers are covered for the sec
ond quarter and appear indisposed to do
business for the second half, chiefly be-
cause they cannot readily sell steel billets
on a satisfactory price basis. Demand for
finished lines continues strong.
The shoe and leather trades report ac-
tivity. The shoe shipments for last week
were slightly lower than year ago. New
business in shoes is quiet. and shipments
for the year are 6.5 per cent behind a
year ago. Sales of sole are moderate.
Domestic hides are quiet, tanners demand
ing concessions and are Willing to see
lower prices
Business failures in the United States
for the week ending March q number
157 against 1856 last week, and 10 in the
like week of 1906. Canadian failures for
the week number 80 against % last
week. and 20 this week a year ago.
Wheat including flour, exports from the
United States and Canada for the week
ending March n, aggregated 1878, 614
bushels. For the past thirty eight weeks
of the fiscal year the exports were 127,-
SS3,479, against 101 ,445,904 in 1905-06.
Corn exports for the week are 2,50S, 7S6
bushels, against 1893, 254 last week, and
5, 1885 a year ago. For the fiscal year
to date the exports are 1882, 223 bushels
against 92,226,271 in 1905-06