The Hattiesburg news., 1909-08-06
PROSPECTS GENERALLY
FRIGHTENING UP
The Lumber, Hardware, Iron and Coal
- Industries Are Reviewed, Showing a
Substatial Improvement Ia Condi
tions Over the Last Twelve Months.
The Tradesman says this week:

|
'The feature of the lumber trade
this week has been the rush of retail
ers to the markets for miscellaneous
Tstocks. This trade has been phenom
email, in view of all conditions, and is
perhaps the most encouraging condi
ton that could be hoped for. Farmers
appear to have given the cue to retail
ers and if the retailer is passing the
proper information up the line the
farm trade this fall will be enormous.
THE summer dullness is on in the
general trade, particularly effecting the
manufacturing consumer, but even in
this line trade is much better than
was expected at the beginning of the
summer. Large dealers who made a
careful survey of conditions a month
ago made flattering reports of the
f1ll outlook but hoped for little dur
ing the summer. Since these esti-
mates were made congress has made
some progress with the tariff subject
railroads have given monstrous orders
for cars, bridge materials and other
timbers, and manufacturers in vehicle,
furniture and miscellaneous lines have
been forced to begin preparations for
| the future, so the general trade has
been boosted far beyond the expecta-
tions of old-time dealers. Although
the actual movement of lumber this
month has not been SO large, all deal. |
ers have on hand a pretty fair crop of
orders that are to go forward the early
part of August and this will greatly en-
liven the business. Pine men arel
somewhat at sea yet as to prices but
the demand is Enthusiastically increas-
ing at a satisfactory rate. Both de-
mand and price are satisfactory to
hardwood operators"
Hardware Trade.
Referring to hardware lines the
Tradesman says:
THE threatened advance in prac-
tically all hardware articles has had
a stimulating effect upon orders and
shipments from Southern hardware
centers this week, the larger houses
a splendid business the past
ten days. Whether this condition
much as to the total volume of
fall business cannot yet be determined
but it is certain that retailers are ex-
pecting at least an average business.
Wire, nails, bar iron, horse shoes and
other articles have been to.
advance slightly and the warning sent
out by jobbers is having effect. An
other condition is no doubt hurrying
trade in the south and that is the
of a car shortage when
crops begin to move, which will bring
back the old 1907 conditions. Retail
ers are afraid that slow deliveries this
fall will again play havoc with them
and many are giving shipping instruc .
ions
Crop reports continue to be en-
although the cotton market /
las been somewhat nervous. Between {
he two conditions jobbers are of the a
opinion that the general fall trade [
cannot be less than an average OF Y
he past five years which means a
lealthy increase. over last year Il
operations are not so exten- g
i've as they were in June and July
mt reports from the leading cities of O
he south indicate a healthy increase Il
n September and through the fall Il
lonths. Rural communities also have OF
lany plans on foot and the indications lo
re that there will be far more build is
lg in the smaller communities dur Ii
lg the fall than there was during the bl
Dring and summer months. In vol el
me the hardwood trade is far better &c
lis month than at the same time last
ear" ed
Iron and Coal. tlt
Features of the iron, steel and coal pl
arkets in the southern territory this
eek are thus stated by the Trades ye
an. present conditions are quite tic
tive and the prospects very bright; re
uthern pig iron manufacturers have fol
.ry little to complain of just now.
le inquiries that are being received no
r iron indicate that there is going ity