Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-12-17
MERCHANT Do BIG
HOLIDAY BUSINESS
AvERTlNG OF RAILROAD STRIKE
AND ARMIsTicE IN BALKAN
WAR HELPS TRADE.
IRON AND STEEL FIRM,
Buying Of Rails Is Heavy-pry Goods
Market Active-Shoe Man.
faeturers, Doing
Well.

New York, Dec. 7.-R. @. Dun and
company's weekly review OF trade
says:
Two events coincide to clear the
business situation of disturbing uncer
tainties-the signing of an armistice
in the Balkan war and the decision OF
the arbitrating committee averting
railroad strike.
The decision of the supreme court
in the Union Pacific merger caused
some unsettlement in the securities
market, but has had no other effect.
Demand for iron and steel continues
firm. Contracts in new business 10
most apparent in pig iron, but this
was anticipated. owing to the extrem'
ely large purchases made recently.
Some curtailment in production of pig
iron in November was due to labor
troubles.
Future Looks Bright.
Specifications on finished products
continue to come in freely and con
fdence is sustained for period of 40
tivity extending well into next year
Rail buying is in heavy volume and
there is an excellent demand for rail-
road supplies. including spikes, bolts
and rivets. The scarcity in crude and
eemi-finished material has become
more pronounced and another adj
vance in~prices would not be unex'
pected.
Purchases of sheets are still urgent
and premiums are paid for all descrip'
tons.
The cotton goods market continues
very strong, but there is growing
conservatism because of high prices
and buying at first hand Is less 40
tive.
Jobbers Report Fair Trade.
Jobbers, however. report very faiR
trade for the season and there Is a
good demand for many domestic sta
pies, convertible and used in the
trades.
eradstreet's Trade Review.
Bradstreet's says:
Trade still displays considerable
vigor, irregularity or slackness in this
or that quarter being Offset by in
creased or sustained activity in many
lines. Thus orders for future deliv
cry continue on an extensive scale
while holiday distribution, probably
exceeds that of any previous season.
incidentally. jobbers have done well
with holiday specialties.
On the other hand, sales of winter
weight goods haye been 5hampered ov
er wide by unseasonably mild
weather, and therefore recorders re
ceived by jobbers are barely up to sea
sonal expectations. However, senti
ment is still optimistic, which fact
is colored by buying for future &C
count.
Scarcity in Dry Goods.
In the dry goods line scarcity Of
various makes of goods is very note
worthy, and while demand, taking the
country as a whole, shows no appre
ciable letup, there is tendency to dis
courage buyers from rushing in and
bidding up market that is clearly
short of supplies and, moreover, it is
probable that !, high rates for money
also exert some influence In this 70
spect.
Manufacturers are very busy. short
ages of help still affect textile out
puts, north and south. and outdoor
operations continue at brisk rate.
thanks to mild weather.
In the iron and steel lines, pig iron
is less active and buying OF steel hae
abated somewhat, but that industry lie
SO well filled up with orders, some
plants being booked for the first hall
of next year and others for a larger
period, that a lull is not expected.
Collections Are Good.
Collections are good and even the
southern reports are more cheerful,
save at a comparatively few points,
those that have been adversely anect
ed by short cotton crop.
Wheat, including -four exports from
the United States and Canada wses
ending, Dec. aggregate b,92S,O3s
bushels against 5,6s6,017 bushels last
week and 1891, 5S2 bushels this week
last wear. For the % weeks ending
Dec. 5, exports are 103,172.S19 bushels
against 74,126,O23 bushels in the cor
responding period last year.
Corn exports for the week are 3d.
ISL bushels against 11,247 bushels last
week and 76,OO6 bushels in 1911.
For the % weeks ending Dec. 5,
corn exports are 1,593,222 bushels
against 11,213,363 bushels last year.
Girl Lost Twentieth Time.
Minneapolis.. Minnesota, Dec. t.