The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-02-15
r. 6. Dun in Weekly Report
Says Some Points Are Bet
ter Than Last Year.
THE GENERAL SITUATION.
ALL BRANCHES OF INDUSTRY
WITH EXCEPTION OF A FEW
PLACES ARE TAKING ON A
VERY CLEAR COMPLEXION.

New York, Feb. l5.-R. q. Dun &
Cos weekly review of trade TO-DAY
says:
industrial plants steadily decrease the
percentage of idle machinery. espe,-
tally in the steel business, which in
creases the size of pay rolls and, hs
raising the purchasing power OF the
wage Garner. improves retail trade.
Thus far progress is slow in wholesale
and jobhing departments but as retail
stocks are depleted. there is moro dis
position TO place orders for spring
goods. Reports are still irregular.
some sections of the country recover
ing much more rapidly than others.
and a few interior cities record busi-
ness even better than at this time last
year.
Each week more contracts are plac-
ed for steel than in the week previous
and conservative buying OF the last
few months has made the statistical
position strong. Activity is the great
est in the wire trade. closely followed
by the tin plate. while structural
shapes for railway bridges, supply Il
liberal tonnage of new business. Fol
lowing the large order for steel rails
last week. there have appeared several
other substantial contracts. and more
are pending. In addition to this bust
ness in standard weights the mills
have secured good orders for light
rails. Pipe mills are getting contracts
both for home and export use. and
| these producers are constantly pur-
chasers of pig iron. which holds steady
! on the basis of $17 at valley furnaces
Textile fabrics are not materially
changed. either in point of demand or
| rate of production. Prices are prac-
! ically unchanged. some producers
claiming that quotations are now down
to the cost of production, while others
hold that concessions will not stimu-
late trade in the present attitude Of
| buyers. In wooden goods there is
a better trade. wholesale clothiers ex-
hibiting more interest in staple lines.
II is evident that much uncertainty ex-
lists as TO the class of goods that will
be most popular, and business is large
ly confined to sample pieces.
supplementary orders for footwear
| do not come to New England produc-
ers in normal volume. purchases being
! limited small quantities. Local job
bers and wholesalers anticipate an
early improvement in demand from
| retailers. because of the recent reduC-
tiontion in stocks of rubber goods.
Aside from heavyweight sole. the
| 1oatbor lot i,1t II;1oy
pursue the usual downward course. ds
receipts show the seasonable deterior-
alton in quality. February and late
January saltings finding scarcely any
buyers.
Trade is sluggish and collections I'M
satisfactory at Louisville, but cloth
! ing factories receive more orders and
leather is in good demand. Business
is fair at New Orleans. some lines
showing improvement constantly. but
collections are still slow. Stormy
weather and the holiday had re-
stricting effect on trade in Chicago.
but gratifying developments are noted
in assumptions at mills and furnaces.
the largely increased employment pro-
viding a better valume of retail trade.
Country buyers are In the wholesale
markets for staples. and travelling
statesmen send in good orders. espec-
tally from the South and Southwest
Retail trade continues dull at Cincin-
natl. and collections are somewhat
slow. but manufacturing plants gradu-
ally resume. now operating about two
thirds capacity.