New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-06
SOME IMPROVEMENT
Retail Trade Stimulated by
Fall Requirements.

merciai agencies for the week indicates
activity and seasonal Improvement
"Dun's Review" comments as follows:
Business in most leading departments
continues TO make satisfactory progress
one especially notable feature dcnotinG
the steady revival Of confidence being the
Increasing disposition Of merchants IN
numerous lines and in widely separated
parts Of the country to anticipate future
requirements. Some uncertainty has been
expressed as TO conditions I'm certain sec
tons of the South where the cotton crop
is reported TO have been adversely a.
fccted by heavy rains. but the high prices
at which the staple Is now selling have
evidently removed whatever apprehension
may have been felt for merchants gen
orally throughout the belt are placing
orders for necessities with much greater
freedom than a year ago. Similar condi-
tons apparently prevail IN those districts
where the crops suffered from drouth.
reports from practically all the leading
centres Of the West and Southwest DIS
playing marked optimism. In the East,
where commercial and Industrial opera
lions have been considerably retarded by
tariff uncertainty. the final settlement
as TO the date when the new law will go
into effect has encouraged both Nor
chants and manufacturers, and their OPP
eratiOns are on a steadily broadening
scale. In the drygoods markets there is
marked increase in the demand for all
kinds OF merchandise, with Jobbers In nu-
merous instances reporting business In
record volume. The textile mills are Op-
Grating TO the fullest extent permitted
by an inadequate supply II labor, and are
refusing many orders because Of their
inability to make deliveries. Retailers
are doing a normal trade, and find their
supplies unequal to requirements. with
new goods hard to obtain because Of the
sold-up condition of the mills Demand
for footwear has improved. and most Of
the Eastern manufacturers now have Suf-
ficient orders on hand TO keep them busy
for some weeks. The inquiry for leather
shows a slight increase and sales effected
are at full asking prices. There IS no
decrease in the frmness with which all
varieties of hides are held, and sales late
in the week of fully 10000 sides were
made, the bulk of them being Of branded
description No Improvement Is AS yet
discernible i'm the iron and steel markets.
and the hrmness of pig iron Is still in
sharp contrast 10 somewhat easier con-
ditions in the majority Of the finished
products. Business being placed is main
ly for present needs. and few orders are
coming in for 1914 delivery, which results
ia expectations that inquiries should In
crease in the near future. Prices of con-
per are easier. although reports of d.
minishing stocks cause considerable SPEC
ulative activity In that metal. Fairly we'll
maintained railroad earnings indicate an
extensive movement OF both crops and
merchandise, the total gross earnings re-
ported for the three weeks of September
showing a gain over last year of 03 per
cent and over the corresponding period
two years ago of So per cent. Bank ex
changes are again smaller this week than
last year. the loss being 4.7 per cent, but
there is a gain of 81 per cent as compared
with 1911. Commercial failures In the
United States for nine months in 1913 were
Hip, with liabilities amounting to $780,
g66.316. small falling off in number. but
a sharp increase in the amount involved
as compared with the 11.S16 for $l53. jH,3G0
a year ago"
"Bradstreets" views are thus summed
up:
Improved collections, easier money and
enlarged distributive trade are the pre-
eminent feature contained In this weeks
reports. Wearing apparel reflects most
activity, and ii is significant that the re-
turns, taken as a whole indicate that re-
quests for prompt shif ment are general.
thus suggesting that stocks are still light.
and, moreover. the consensus is that trade
is ahead OF that being done at this time
last year. when a considerable degree Of
progress was noted. IL is true thai far
future business is subordinated to imme-
date wants, but the former also appears
to be growing in a rather satisfactory
way. Immediate developments may be at
tributed TO the advance Of the season. fall
fashion shows by retail dealers. which,
by the way, seem to be gaining in popu-
larity. fall festivals at some points, and to
the fact that the stimulating influences OF
crop money are being felt in sections
whose interests are closely allied TO agri-
culture. Withal, there is sufficient slow
ness in number of lines and In parts of
the country to divest the trade situation
OF absolute uniformity. Thus the iron
and steel industry, barring the appear