The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-11
MONEY IS EASIER.
commercial Loans Are Obtained
With Little Difficulty.
Percentage of Idle Machinery
Has Greatly Decreased.
RAILROADS. IN MARKET
Negotiating for Rails for De.
livery During This Year.
Bank Clearings in Topeka Pass
the Million Mark.

New York, Jan. 11-R. G. Dun & Co.'S
weekly Review of Trade says:
sentiment has improved in response
~ the brighter outlook commercial
loans being made with more freedom
man at any recent date, AS much pro-
!ected business was only held back by
inaplnty to raise funds, the easier
money market encourages expectations
that postponed contracts will now be
paced The percentage of idle machin-
cry mas perceptibly decreased. Iron and
steel production had fallen very low be-
Tore the revival occurred output of pig
IRON at the beginning of this month be-
ing smaller than at any time in four
years. This curtailment of output has
maintained prices fairly steady. the
average now being higher than on July
l, 1906. Several contracts for struc-
tural steel are under negotiations, but
most mills are idle pending the accum-
ulation of more business. Thus far the
lower quotations for galvanized sheets
and tin plate have not stimulated
purchases Numerous railways are ne
gotiating for delivery of rails for the
year, 1908, and this business should be
placed very soon.
Soma transactions in packer branded
hides have been made at slightly high
er prices than prevailed last week, with
no improvement in natives. which now
comprise most Of the receipts. For
Bradstreet's.
Bradstreet's says:
Financial affairs show further and
more plentiful and easier to obtain.
but the gain In trade and industry
proper is still largely one of sentiment
because business is quiet the country
over, railway earnings and bank clear
ings are below a year ago, collections
Low ell oh q
ago, and industry is, as q whole, on
short time, with the larger centers re-
porting great number of unemployed.
In trade lines the general report is
one of backward business. Mild
weather is still bar to the widest
activity in seasonable goods north and
west, and retailers are stimulating
tagging demand by reduction sales
and southern trade shows little more
life than a week ago. Some lines re-
port after holiday collections are bet
ter than those of December, and in
some cases better. than anticipated but
they, in few cases, are better than
slow to fair.
Evidences Of the sharp curtailment,
almost stagnation, that struck indus
try in the last quarter OF. 1907 are com
ing to light. For one thing, prices OF
commo dities have scored the third
successive monthly drop and the level
Is now below a year ago. Iron produc-
ton fell perpendicularly in the last
quarter and the rate of production
was cut in two in two months Since
the first of the year some assumptions
have occurred, but finished products
are only half that ruling before the
panic Business failures in the
United States for the week ending
January 9 number 434 against 345
Hast week, 283 in the like week Of
1907; 2S6 in 1906: 295 in 1905, and
! 315 in 1904.
Failures in Canada this week num-
bered 63, as against 81 last week and
"a in this week year ago.
Wheat, including -four exports from
the United States and Canada for the
week ending January 8, aggregated
6,S04,27S bushels against 5,119,394
last week, 4,44O,100 this week last
year and 3,567.710 in 1902
For the % weeks OF the fiscal year
| the exports are 125,sS9,941 bushels
against 101, 966.700 in 1906-7 and 1885,
567,484 in 19012.
Corn exports for the week are L.
l111,S74 bushels against TAI. 691 last
| week and 1.296,1s7 in 1907.
For the fiscal year to date the ex-
ports are 26,059,243 bushels against
27,1O1,275 in 1906-07.
Bank Clearings.
the week ending Jan. 9 shows an aggre-
gate of $2616, 3os 900 as against $780,, 400, 0oC
| last week and So. 4s0, 942, 600 in the cores
ponding week last year. Canadian clear
ngs for the he o week total sss So ooo as
| in the same week last year. The follow
l ing Is a list of the cities: