Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-04-05
BUSINESS OUTLOOK
IMPROVEMENT ALL ALONG The
line INDICATES ACTIVITY.
President Brown, OF the New York
Central Railroad, Is Optimistic.
Labor Situation Somewhat Dis.
quiet ting, but the General Situation
Looks Good.

LOOKS OOO0.
President Brown, of the New York
Central railroad, makes a cheerful
announcement to the country. He
says:
"There is continued improvement
all along the lines of the New York
Central system. The evidence is SO
strong as to be undeniable. All the
companies, east and west, of the New
York Central system are handling
more loaded cars than for some time.
Passenger business west and east CT
Buffalo is larger than in years. The
earnings of the New York Central
lines are showing steady improve
ment. 1 have received flattering re-
ports from the west regarding the
agricultural situation"
The Commercial and Financial
Chronicles statement of gross earn
ings for the second week of March
shows a gain of 7.79 per cent over
last year. For January the gross
earnings Of practically the entire
railroad system of the country show
ed an increase over last year of $9,-
2S6,S41. The increase in operating
expenses was trifing, SO that the net
',c- ~ e.~nc~1 ,'+-'o r7O-N w.
$9,0OO,00O. Idle cars decreased s.
5O7 between March 8 and II. The
bank clearings last week, while we'll
above those a year ago, were not
quite so large as in the previous
week, but Dun's Review notes that
the gain outside of New York City
was 13.1 per cent over last year and
81 per cent over 1906, when the
country was in the high tide of pros
perity. There have been considerable
shipments of gold, but without dis
turbing the financial markets. Fa
vorable conditions are reported from
the crop-growing sections. New
York's foreign commerce for the lat
est week reported made new high
record, being not only larger than
last year, but much larger than two
years and three years ago.
There are still same disquieting
features in the labor situation. There
will be no anthracite strike at pres
eu., va. ne executive .oolu y. tlc
eastern division of the Amalgamated
Iron, Steel and Tin Workers Associa-
ton has refused to accept a reduction
of wages, and this has been ratified
by the employees Of the Reading Iron
Company. If the improvement in
trade can be accelerated little the
wage question may be trusted to set
tie itself.
The recent improvement in the
structural steel business is maintain
ed, but pig iron is accommodating at
the furnaces and there is renewed
talk of reducing production. Eastern
Droaroers ere comforting on pOssbil-
tiles OF reducing costs. There have
been some small orders for rails, but
the railroad companies are buying
sparingly. Agricultural implement
makers are opening negotiations for
bar iron for the year, but expect
lower prices than the mills are will
ing to grant. The general tone of
the iron and steel market is dull,with
prices weak.
Speculation in cotton futures has
been SMALL and changes in prices
trifling. Cash cotton was a little
higher late in the week than at the
beginning. Boston wool sales were
small. Stocks of domestic WOODS are
lower than at any time in recent
-...-, ...... ,...uC iu D0...-~--- O,., --
down - dds and eras come Of tho
dealers have no domestic wool, and
others but little. The tone Of the
market is distinctly optimistic, and
what trade there Is is done at full
prices, with indications Of an ad-
vance. The recent movement of cot
ton goods to China has amounted to
forty or fifty thousand bales. Busi-
ness in the primary dry goods mar
ket is limited to filing immediate
requirements. Jobbers are getting
fall orders and doing a fair business
in novelty cotton fabrics, dress goods,
and wash goods. In woolen goods
this is "between seasons" and busi-
Mess is light. There has been some
duplicate ordering in lightweight
goods, especially worsteds and serges.
The jobbing and manufacturing de-
mand for dress goods is about over.
Shoe shipments from Boston were