The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-01-11
BRADSTREET AND Dun
REPORT ON BUSINESS
Encouraging Reports Are Made
as Result of Opening Of the
New Year.

New York, Jan. S.~-Bradstreet's Sat-
urday said:
"At the advent of the new year.
trade and indnstrial conditions seem
to be of an encouraging character. AT
the moment retail lines present the
most active branches of distributive
trade, while III Industrial pursuits, iron
ana steel and textile mills have en-
larged their working forces. OF course
tbs returns are not uniform in all in
stances, quiet trade being especially
marked at h south and some cities
elsewhere also indicate that the severe
weather, instead Of developing business
has actually retarded 1t.
In the larger lines, wholesale and
!obbing for example. trade is marked
by the customary seasonal slowness
n while some statesmen are again on
the road, 1t is too early to expect much
In the way OF new orders. What few
ouyer have come to the dry goods
markets speak hopefully, but the con-
sensus seems to indicate that country
merchants will be chary about plac-
Ing orders in quantity for some time.
"A conservatively cheerful sentiment
prevails In the iron and steel trades,
put at the moment new business is
light, following the heavy bargain buy
ing witnessed in December, and at the
same time some lines are not yet free
hfOhA SSliipSNlNIot.
AS matters stand, the saner ten
dency is to guard against overestimat-
Ing the Improvement and to regard the
large orders already booked as a basis
for future betterment. Collections are
not better tina fair, being especially
slow in the south, but a more avor-
able turn taken by the lumber trade
In the far west is expected to improve
| payments In that quarter, where set
Elements have been slow.
Business failures In the United
States for the week ending January 4
We're 349, against 304 last week, 3S2
In the like week of 1911, 217 in 1910, S29
In 1909, and 435 in 1908.
Business failures in Canada for the
week number %, contrasting with %
last week, and II in the like week of
1911
Dun & Co.'S weekly review Of trade
today says:
THE year opens with a pronounced
increase Of business confidence based
on the Improvement during the past
three months, especially In iron and
steel, copper and dry goods; and there
is a growing belief that the new year
will prove better as to the volume OF
business transacted than 1911, though
this optimism is tempered by much
conservatism.
THE increased operations and large
working forces feature the opening year
in iron n steel. Some plants that
We're closely entirely or on only part
time are r~esuning again and the lead.
ing interests is now running at about
50 per cen of capacity.
BLAST furnace capacity has In
creased at Pittsburgh, the local car
plants are more active and finished
lines show further Improvement with
several additional orders for line pipe
and structural material. Prices are
irmer for the first half, basic iron is
quoted at $12.45 and Bessemer $14.2l
and Sl4.h0 valley.
Crude material has advanced 81
cents to 81 per ton. forging billets be.
ing especially firm at $26, Pittsburgh
While with q better demand $l.25 is tht
minimum for bar iron and $I.15 for stee
bars, Pittsburgh."