The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-05
INDUSTRIAL LINES
NEVER SO ACTIVE
Quiet Prevails in Wholesale and
Retail Trade
FIRMNESS OF THE STAPLES
Notwithstanding Holiday Week De-
mand for Pig Iron for Future De-
livery Is Active-Forelgn
Iron In Cleveland.

+ New York, January 4,-Bradstreet's
tomorrow will sayE
quiet prevails In distributiveatrade, but
industrial lines were' never soAactive at
this season. Post holiday and weather
conditions affect both wholesale and re-
tail trade, the latter line noting slackness
in demand for heavy wearing apparel.
Prices of staples show remarkable
strength, and iron and steel, leather, raw
wool, cotton and cotton goods display
notable firmness.a While the car, shortage
trouble is still very acute, the country
over. there are reports from a few see
itions, especially the northwest, and parts
Iof the Pacific coast, that grain and lum-
der are moving more freely.
+ Collections are classed as good at the
west; slow, with extensions asked for
in the south Atlantic staues, and only
1air in the northwest.
Notwithstanding the holiday week de-
nnand for pig iron for3uture delivery was
active, the eastern and Chicago districts
being the chief factors. In the east the
sales have been made upNof basic, foun-
dry and forge irons, whileN in the west
heavy orders for malleable Bessemer have
been placed deliveries to beSmade in the
1ast half of the year.
Sales of iron are unimportant,N simply
because none is available. A Significant
feature Is the fact that the foreign iron
has Appeared in the Cleveland district
after a lapse of five years. New orders
for steel rails are of goodly proportions.
Two independent Pennsylvania rail pro-
ducers announce that they viii not book
gust for less than $50 ton, an increase
of 81 and the highest price quobed for
standard rails since 1900 but the lead
ing producer shows no disposition to-
advance its price.
Building operations have fallen off, tbut
the railroads continue to place goodly cou-
tracts for structural shapes. Merchant
bars are active and wire products are in.
good demand.
Coke is strong Coal is firm and Mn good
demand. Lead and spelter are mot SO
firm Tin declined sharply in the latter
part of the week on pressure to sell, and
n more favorable statistics situation. Do
mestic copper is firm and considerable
premium prevails for spot supplies. Bur
late advices Indicate weakness for war
rants and refined copper in the oversee
markets.
Strong demand for spot cotton and the
prompt stoppage of January notices have
the heavy current movement. Grain prices
have shown little movement. The ag-
gressire strength of all kinds of leather
and of hides is in sharp contrast with
the reports of conservative buying of
shoes of manufacturers.
The situation in textile markets is APP
parenty a very strong one.
Clearing sales by iobbers have been
complete and cotton goods are heavily
sold ahead Most manufacturers are
booked for six months and prices are
Very firm. Mild weather IS drawback
10 trade in heavy winter goods. and
clearance sales by retailers are reported
begun in the west. Raw wool is strong
and active here and abroad, and no sign
of easing prices is noted.
Business failures in the United States
for the week ending January 3 number 1s5
against 161 last week and 900 in the like
week of 1896
Canadian failures for the week num-
her Is as against Is last week and -
in 1906.