The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-28
STEEL MAKING P|G
 IRONS ARE HIGHER More Furnaces Preparing to
 Go Into Blast RAIL BUYING FEATURE Car Plants We'll Sold Up and Coke Very Active--Steel Plants Unable to Take More Orders for
 1912 Delivery
RAIL BUYING FEATURE

| New York, September 27.-Bradstreet's tomorrow will say:
 | Buying in person, by mail order or through the medium of road sales main | tains activity in the various lines of dis tributive trade Shipments on orders pre- 1 viously booked are going forward in vol | ume and one of the most significant fea- lures of the general situation is the in | sistent call for prompt deliveries which indicates that stocks do not lag superfiu- | ous on purveyors' shelves. In host of lines one hears the expression that con ditions as regards sales are beetter than for some years past Withal buyers are l not making large forward commitments, probably fearing future political deve1- opments, but within the week purchasing of heavy winter goods became more an- mated, touch of frost in parts of the west, northwest and southwest having been the stimulating factor. The shortage of cars is becoming more west have been compelled temporarily to cease operations until cars can be ob- tained
 Industrial operations are moving along at brisk rate Steel plants are well sold ahead and as general rule no more orders can be taken for delivery this year.
 Steel making pig irons are higher, ad- ditional furnaces are preparing to go into blast. buying of rails is feat ature car plants are well sold up and coke is very active with future business in plates and structural shapes presenting the quietest' aspects of an exceptionally strong situa- tion.
 Labor continues in very scant supply Collections range from fair to good, aI- though payments from the south are still slow, chiefly because of wet weather and the lateness of the cotton crop.
 Business failures in the United States for the week ending September 2e were 22S, against 279 last week, PAS in the like week of 1911, 211 in 1910, 195 in 1909, and 225 in 1908
 Business failures in Canada for the week number 23 which compares with r in the revious week, and 27 in the same week a year ago.
 Wheat, including flour exports from the United States and Canada for the week ending September 26. aggregate 5.s50. 9o2 bushels. against 3,30l AT last week, 3165, ,392 this week last year..
 For the 13 weeks ending September 26. exports are 44,2l8, 451 bushels against 36,- 201,2S3 in the corresponding period last year. Corn exports for the week are 119,- 913 bushels, against 7270 last week, and 1,037. 394 in 1911 For the 13 weeks ending September 26, corn exports are 1,049.s46 bushels, against 6,992S32 last year.
 New York, September 27.-R.'G. Dun .2 Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow will say:
 Proof accumulates on every hand of a developing national prosperity broad, wholesome and quite independent of con troversial issues that usually breed uncer- tainy and hesitation. Many years have passed since there has been such uanimi- ty of testimony as the widening of busi- ness activity Even some of the lines which have been tagging are now devel- Qping the same progressive spirit which for some time has existed in the Iron and steel industry and is making that trade break all previous records. Consumption has not only overtaken production. but is rapidly pressing ahead of it and in some important points scarcity of facilities scarcity of labor and scarcity of trans- portation appear as the inevitable accom- paniment of an accommodating demand.
 In the iron and steel trade the pressure in the market for deliveries is reflected in the sharp demand for pig iron this week, quotations tending higher and the
 
 position. Orders continue to come in free ly and the mills are provided practically to the close of the year. Much difficulty is still experienced in meeting the de- mand. Merchant pipe, steel bars and sheets are in urgent request and the movement of plates and shapes is heavy. Heavy buying of rails for next years de- livery continues. As the present need for new supplies is urgent, the outlook for the new year is particularly promising.
 Crude steel material is scarce and premiums paid for immediate delivery.
 Copper production and consumption are both enormous. Not only is the distribu- tion of dry goods in the various branches of the trade larger than last year, but the leading merchants looking forward to a year of general prosperity. Conditions in the shoe trade are now tending to the same degree of activity. The great middle west Is experiencing all the benefits of a big crop year The Pacific northwest is rejoicing in a revival of the lumber in- dustry. Building operations continue ac- tive in many of the large cities. Heavy rains have interfered to some extent with retail distribution, but this is merely tenn porary.