The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-13
TRADE CONDITIONS
 ARE IMPROVING
Cotton Goods Have Again Been
 Advanced
IRON PRODUCTION GAINS
Business Failures Are Larger for the Week Than for Same Period Last Year-Exports of Cereals
 Show Large Increase.

New York. July 12.-Bradstreets tomor- row will say:
 Continued favorable weather, coupled with improvement in recorder business give a more optimistic tone to the gen eral situation than seemed possible month ago. That some trade was lest for this reason is, of course, certain, as is the fact that reduction sales have been necessary to move some slow selling goods, but the cotton goods have again been advanced dress fabric selling better and mems wear. woolen and cloth from the dealers taking a much more cheerful view of the outlok. The telegrams to Bradstreets show the effect of midsummer conditions in many lines but fall ship ments have been larger than a year ago. The leading industries note great activity, with summer shut-downs limited by the desire of manufacturers to catch up with orders. Building is less active at some centers, but of record volume at other cities, and prices of lumber and other materials reflect some irregularity.
 Manufacturers in the east are displaying still more interest in the wool market, and sales are reported very large. Pri- mary markets in the west are reported well cleaned up
 Commodity prices, as of July 1, show great strength for midsummer period, there being gain of half to one per cent over June l, and a decrease of nine tenths to one per cent from the high mark of March 1. 1907 Textiles lead in strength mainly because of the advanoe es in cotton and cotton goods.
 Pig iron continues very quiet and prices are easier. Production in the first half of 19O7 13,50o00O tons, exceeded that of the corresponding period of last year by per cent. New business in finished lines is smaller. Demand for structural ma terial is light, but some heavy business Is pending. Steel bars are taken quite freely. comparatively large business In open hearth steel rails in special speclica- ton is reported, but otherwise the mar ket Is quite dull The pauclty of crude steel, especially in the Pittsburg district, continues quite marked, and one plant in the Ohio valley has been diyerting rails and sheet bars to the manufacture of steel bllets.
 Shipments of ore from the lakes are of record proportions. being 6,4S3O tons in June. Coke is not as firm last week, nor Is it so weak as month ago. Copper is much lower, the long expected of fical' decrease in price having ma teriaized.
 Business failures for the week ending July II number 1S5 against 1I5 last week and 143 in the like week of 1906. Canadian failures for the week number 2S as against 16 last week and 19 in this week year ago.
 Wheat, including flour, exports from the United States and Canada for the week ending July Il aggregated 3,2e4,714 bush els, against 2,90S, ,9S4 last week and 1,952,973 this week last year.
 For the first two weeks of the fiscal year the exports are 5,S63,6lS bushels, against 3697, ,616 In 1906-07. Corn exports for the week are 1,411,675, against 1,4l0SOf bushels last week and 59471S bushels in 1906. For the fiscal year to date the ex- ports are 2,s22, ,479 bushels, against 1,2S6,- SIS in 1906-07.