Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-07-20
BUSINESS SHOWS GAINS.
Gradual Improvement in All Center.
Confidence Is Growing.

-
progress in the right direction. Com
parisons with last years measures
| commercial activity are readily gr 2
| ing closer railway earnings in the .
week Of July showing a loss of, 8
| 1872 per cent, whereas the diff e
| was over 20 per cent a short tt 20.
| Commercial failures are d6 ing
in number and amount of = ties,
while bank exchanges no ~ ex-
| hibit large decreases, and camille
| collections are more promrS one OF
| the best signs Is the agreement upon
| lower wage scales without struggle,
assuring resumption of much idle ma
/, chinery that W oud have been impossl-
| Bile without adjustment to altered con-
ditions Current retail trade Is OF
1 fairly good dimensions for the season,
and inventories indicate that recovery
is not nenaced by heavy stocks, al
| tho it has been necessary in many
/ cases to remove accumulations by
clearance sales at bargain prices.
Observation-Disclosures conditions reflect
sustained recovery in several impor-
tant lines OF activity, but there are
others which drag slowly. New de-
mands in the leading industries in
clude none Of notable extent but the
! number OF moderate contracts steadily
gains, and there Is more extended pro-
duction at the furnaces, steel mills
and electric factories. Lumber as
sumes firmness in prices quoted for
! factory use, and the shipments to out
| side points of pine and planning mill
outputs has improved, but there is yet
rather meagre railroad buying. Lo-
| cal yard stocks, however, undergo sat
isfactory reduction, the consumption
being heavy in building lines The
! demand Is also good for quarry prod
ucts, with prices much steadier than
they were few months ago. and the
! brick yards have orders assuring
/ steady work thruout the season. Pub
lie improvements involving large out
lays are now pushed forward, and
these require large supplies of mate
rials and much labor. Shipyard oper-
ations are mainly confined to repair
! work. but there Is better supply OF
specifications at the fabricating plants
and car shops. Iron ore is now re-
ceivedl in larger quantities. and there
| is more consumption of coke and coal
in the. Calumet district. indicating that
l
| working reduce their idle capacity
Rail production is maintained at the
maximum, and the bookings run well
into the fall months.
ST. Paul.-Preparation for fall and
winter trade proceed steadily. The
movement of early fall lines in dry
goods. mems and women's wear is of
satisfactory volume, and sales Of mil
| 11yifh Ia CT
wear. excepting in the western states.
where agricultural conditions have
less influence. Shoe manufacturers
operate full time on old contracts, and
report fair volume Of new business.
Harness factories are well employed
Hardware is in well sustained de-
mand, and there Is a fair movement OF
plumbers and builders materials and
supplies. Machinery trade expands
slowly Wholesale drugs and cheml-
Gals are active and continued I'M
proyement is reported in the demand
| for groceries. Collections continue IT.
regular.
Minneapolis.-A slow Improvement
| is noted in practically all lines, due TO
depleted stocks of merchandise and
ltpreparations for the fall and winter
trade. Dry goods, wearing apparel
and shelf hardware are moderately
active. harness and saddlery steady
and AGRICULTURAL supplies seasonably
quiet. The lumber situation is un-
changed; shipments for the week, 2,-
100, 900 feet.
Boston-The severe drought thruout
New England causes good deal OF
anxiety. not only in agricultural but
in industrial and commercial circles.
1t has, in measure, created even more
conservatism than formerly, and retail
trade In some sections already feels
a falling off in activity. Still, reports
are on the whole favorable as to the
lprogress of summer trade in dry goods
clothing, ETC., of seasonable variety
There is as yet, however, little prepa-
ration being made for fall and winter.
In the cotton goods market there is
lack of confidence which is reflected in
first hand trading, as well as In the
distribution from jobbers' hands. With
many factories shut down, quiet condi-
tions generally prevail in footwear and
| kindred industries but there is, not
withstanding, pretty good movement
\ in leather.
philadelphia-Th wool market re-
mains unchanged, and manufacturers
altho showing more interest, confine
purchases to immediate wants. Prices
are firm. General conditions in the Iron
and steel market have not materially
changed, but the feeling is hopeful and
the tone stronger. In finished materials
business Is fair, but in other lines 1t is
mostly in small lots. The anthracite
coal trade continues in fair volume
with some improvement in bituminous
Pittsburg-Trade conditions are I'M
proving slowly, considering the usual
dullness at this season. There rs a fair
movement In groceries and provisions
Some of the trade complains of q
| lack Of steadiness, altho retailers
are buying in accordance with de-
mands, which fuctuate. This is
felt especially in the communities de-
pendent on the iron and steel indus
tries. where temporary resumption
or partial operations, have corre-
spending effect on retail trade. How
ever, there is more money in circula-
ton, with increases in pay rolls, and
collections are improving slightly. The
produce market is fairly brisk, and
there has been a slight advance in the
prices of wheat, oats and corn. The dry
goods and shoe lines are quiet, fair
business being done.