The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-25
BETTER WEATHER
 INCREASES TRADE Volume of Business Expands
 as Shown by Statistics COTTON GOODS QUIET
Some Lull in Demands for Iron and Steel But Considerable Tonnage Is in Pr0spect-COntracts for
 Over 35 1000 Tons of Rails

New York, May 24-R. G. Dun & Go. B weekly review of trade tomorrow will say;
 The volume of business continues to ex- -,and as is evidenced by the statistics oG ban.. cearings and railroad earnings. The situation during the past week has been improved by the much better weather which has served to increase the retail and to some extent the wholesale distri- button of merchandise
 There has been some Hull in new de n:ands for iron and steel, but a consid erable tonnage is in prospect. dnd pric' advances are made more easily In many lines production is now on heavier scale tEan last month, the larger plants oper- atirg to capacity and orders booked will keep the mills busy for several months to come. Specifications indicate that the bulk of material is going into consump- ton and a scarcity is developing in basic materials. Buying on the part of raii- roads tends to make up for the reduced requirements in other directions, car In quiries amounting to fully S0,00o tons and additional contracts for over 5000 tons of rails being noted There is only fair activity in wire products and the quota tion of S1 60 for wire nails is shaded m some instances, but tin plate for third quarter delivery has advanced. Two more furnaces in the Pittsburg district have beel. blown in, yet stocks of pig iron are being reduced in spite of the increased output.
 Fine cotton goods are quiet at first hand and the upward tendency in staple cotton goods is not so marked Advance Tall business continued in better volume than year ago and while export trade Is not active, shipments continue for the year to date 1S1,0OD bales of domestics being sent out through the port of New York against 121, 600 bales during the correspond ing period a year ago. Of 60,OOO pieces of print cloths sold at Fall River last week about one-half were for spot delivery Dress goods of staple character are sell ing we'll for fall delivery and business continues moderately active at all textile centers as contrasted with the dullness of last year at this time The broad silk trade is generally quiet but ribbons ap- pear to be in growing demand Worsted yarns are in fair request and cotton yarn spinners appear more willing to name prices closer to buyers ideas on late fall deliveries. Trade in footwear Is rather quiet on the whole, but sales are increas-
 
 tinues very firm. The prominent fact remains, however. that the trade move nent as a whole Is considerably larger than last year and business sentiment more hopeful.
 New York. May 24.Bradstreets tomor- row will say:
 With the advent of warm, dry. and in scmc sections sunshiny weather the agri- cultural situation has seen a marked change for the better, and final distribu- tion at retail, in the cities at least has been quickened, though the pre-oceupa- tion of farmers in their field work has prevented much expansion in country trade In wholesale trade and in jobbng lines there are reports of a fair amount of activity, and where early crop pros poets are promising, as in the southwest and northwest. there has been some qiickening of demand. It is, however. a between seasons period in most wholesale lines and buying is conservative and to