Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-14

| the steady gain in production OF pig
iron lis a most encouraging indication
! of confidence in the leading industry.
/, Foreign commerce at this port alone
for the last week showed gains of
| 1886, 449 in exports and $392,069 in i'm
ports as compared with the same week
last year. Preliminary official figures
for the entire country showed de-
crease of $25, 900, 900 in value of farm
staples exported last month as COM
pared with November. 1907, but this
was due to the decline in price of cot
ton this year.
Pittsburg.-The demand for dry
goods continues to improve and both
city and country merchants are buy
ing with more freedom. Colder wealth
er has increased retail business and
traders report a larger volume of
transactions. Buying in holiday lines
is of fair proportions and the large de-
partment stores are busy.
Raltimore-The majority of whole
sale houses report light orders, and no
great stimulus to business is antici-
pated until after the holidays. Clothing
manufacturers continue to experience
trouble with labor, tho strikes have
been adjusted in all but two of the fac
tories involved. and the number of men
affected so far has not been great
enough to prevent the making up of Or
ders in hand New business is of
small proportions. The volume of cur
rent business in dry goods and notions
at wholesale is quite limited. altho col
lections are better and values of cot
do, ,,t,.
Boston.-Holiday trade with retail
ers has taken a good start this week
and encouraging reports are received
from all sources. The volume of bus
mess has shown steady Improvement
and indications point to a satisfactory
total for the season. Other than the
strictly holiday departments also show
Improvement, the demand for staple
dry goods, clothingA millinery. haber-
dashery. hats and caps expanding with
cold weather. At first hands dry goods
have ruled quiet, as usual in Decem-
Der. but jobbing trade is active, several
leading houses having completed their
annual stock taking, making satisfac-
tory opening of spring goods.
Kansas City-Retail trade is excel
lent Jobbing lines report a good vol
ume of business, with increased orders
for spring delivery. Collections are
reasonably good. Building permits for
November We're, s632,e55 s21,S35 in ex-
cess of last year Preparations for the
January convention of implement deal
ers are being made by all local houses.
Dealers are beginning to come in in
large numbers. and are making pur-
chases for immediate and future ship
ments. The winter wheat crop looks
fine in all this territory, as 1t has had
recent copiouS rains and SHOWS. A ma
terial reduction in the output of Kan
sas City flour mills is noted, production
this week being $500 barrels, COM
pared to 1890 barrels the previous
week and $1,000 barrels year ago.
San Francisco-EXport trade by wa
ter for November exceeded S5,000,O00.
While this is $3,000,O0O less than the
record total for the previous month, 1t
is a larger amount than for any other
month this year and is $1,000O00 in
excess of November last year. More
than one-fifth of the value for last
month was for barley, canned fruit and
canned salmon for Great Britain, the
total for that destination being S1,221,-
100, against $2,0S0,40O in October. In
the same two months last year the ex-
perts to Great Britain We're s1.S24,7O0
T7fe difference of $1,500,000 has mater
tally helped in adjusting the trade ball
ance this year.
Minneapolis General merchandise
sales steadily increase and are showing
some gains over 1907. Buying is on
broader lines and stocks are being
built up. Dry goods and wearing apo
parel are moving freely and hardware
and groceries are steady. Sales of
building materials begin to reflect the
colder weather, but building for 1908
compares we'll with that of last year.
Building permits for eleven months.
$9,369,045, and in 1907, s9,602,055. Lum-
Der shipments for the week, 2,12S.0OO
feet. compare with 100000 feet year
ago.
Portland, Ore.-All lines of jobbing
and retail trade show the slow but
steady Improvement that has marked
the course of business in the past six
months. There is more disposition on
the part of farmers to sell wheat and
a considerable quantity is being for
warded to the California markets. but
export buying is light owing to the I'M
certainty of foreign markets. Coarse
grains are stronger. with the barley
supply practically exhausted, and only
a small portion of the oat crop is left
and this is in strong hands.