The citizen., 1911-03-02
BRIGHTER WEATHER
Mere sessonsble Temperature Cause
Better Feelings In Business
Circles

New YORK;. G. Dun & Co.'S Week
y Review OF Trade said
Though progress toward normal con-
iitions Of business activity Ia slow u
"a steady. In this progress the iron
and steel trade Is taking the lead. and
It's gain Is so notable as TO promise
well for the other branches OF indus
Try. The percentage Of production to
capacity is continually increasing and
the evidences Of expansion. not only In
finished products. but in pig iron. mul-
liply in such way as to have a favor
able effect on business sentiment.
In Dry Goods.
In the dry goods trade. while the
expansion 10 not so pronounced as In
iron and steel, ard while consery-
atism as the result OF the high costs
% production continues, yet there Is
IN increase in transactions. and there
Is no heavy surplus stock TO cause
prolonged depression. Accompanying
the decline In raw cotton there has
oeen some unsettlement OF cotton
GOODS values. and the impetus TO cur
tail production had been increased.
Shoes and Leather.
The footwear market continues quiet
and featureless. Staple lines are gen
orally slow, buyers not anticipating
their requirements Specially goods
continue to sell well, and the pro-
ducers OF those are generally busy. but
comparatively few OF the plants are
working under full headway. The
amicable settlement Of the discount
question is A favorable development.
Brighter Weather.
Brighter. more soasonablc weather
and the advance OF February to its
close is having a more active appear
ance TO house iobbing trade at leading
markets and slightly improved retail
trade The expansion. while quite
marked when compared with the two
preceding weeks, when weather condi-
tons were unsettled. has. however.
been relatively slow and cautious, and
Conservatism. which finds reflection
in small lot buying. continues the pro
eminent feature in markets for dry
goods. wearing apparel and kindred
lines.
Iron and Steel.
Favorable reports continue 20 ema-
nate from the iron and steel trades.
shipments from the mills are increas-
lng and new orders are coming out In
larger volume with the lighter finished
lines loading in point OF activity. Mills
turning cut In plate and wire are In
the forefront, with perhaps 80 per cent
OF their capacity employed. Better re-
ports are made regarding pig iron and
the railroads are probably buying a,
4 better rate than Is generally be
heved.
Export trade, too, is satisfactory.
Business Failures.
Business failures in the United
States for the week ending February
20 were 22S. against 235 last week.
254 in the like week OF 1910, 2s4 In
1909. 3il in 1905 and 1874 In 1901. Busi.
uess failures IN Canada for the week
number &c, which contrasts with "a
hast week and 2s in the like week Of
1910.
The Grain Market.
Wheat, inclu6fng -four. exports from
the Uuttcd States and Canada for the
week ending February % aggregated
il95.559 bush, against 2,lS0.s2l las,
week and SAC, ,3S2 this week last year.
For the 80 weeks ending February 20
exports are 7953O.757 bush. against
lO7 ,OSO, ,i56 in the corresponding period
hast year. Corn exports for the week
are I,s57.s76 bush, against 2,02S,l9 l9S
last week and 729.s2i in 1910. For
the 81 weeks ending February % corn
exports are 2s,Ol2.2O4 bush. against
l7,90S,l7l last year.