The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1911-03-02
BRIGHTER WEATHER
More seasonabIe Temperature Cause
Better Feelings in Business
Circles.

~ ANENlCh VI L nAN Edlus
Though progress toward normal con-
ditions of business activity is slow it
is 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, null
tiply in such way as to have favor
able effect on business sentiment.
In Dry Goods.
In the dry goods trade, while the
expansion is not so pronounced as in
iron and steel, and while conserv-
atism as the result of the high costs
of production continues, yet there is
an increase in transactions, and there
is no heavy surplus stock to cause
prolonged depression. Accompanying
the decline in raw cotton there has
been some unsettlement Of cotton
goods values, and the impetus to cur
Idh pIOuuCCIOH udu DeSu luCISdsSu'
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 these are generally busy, but
"a Y.ofi fiHroIry Of tho yNlof1tu
working under full headway. The
amicable settlement Of the discount
question is a favorable development.
Brighter Weather.
Brighter, more seasonable weather
and the advance of ebruary to its
close is having more active appear
ance to house jobbing trade at leading
markets and slightly improved retail
trade. The expansion, while quite
marked when compared with the two
preceding weeks, when weather condi-
tions were unsettled, has, however,
been relatively slow and cautious, and
conservatism, which finds reflection
in small lot buying, continues the pre-
eminent feature in markets for dry
goods, wearing apparel and kindred
lines.
Iron and Steel.
Favorable reports continue to ema-
nate from the iron and steel trades.
Shipments from the mills are increaS-
ting and new orders are coming out in
larger volume with the lighter finished
lines leading in point of activity. Mills
turning out 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 at
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, 244 in
1909, 81 in 1908 and 1874 in 1907. Busi.
ness failures in Canada for the week
number 26, which contrasts with "a
last week and % in the like week of
1910
The Grain Market.
Wheat, including -four, exports from
the limited States and Canada for the
week ending February 23 aggregated
1,195,559 bush, against 2,1S0,921 last
week and 1,846,332 this week last year.
For the "a weeks ending February %
exports are 79,530,757 bush against
107, ,OSO, ,456 in the corresponding period
last year. Corn exports for the week
are 1,S57,876 bush, against 2,028,198
last week and 729,S24 in 1910. For
the 81 weeks ending February 23 corn
exports are 29,O12,204 bush, against
17,90S,171 last year