New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-10
TRADE EXPANSION
Commercial Agencies Report
Improvement in Some Lines.

For the week ended February the re
view Of the commercial agencies as a
whole carried a very favorable tone re-
gardlng the business Of the week. "Duns
Review" has the following:
No important change has taken place
in the business situation during the last
week. The leading industries and trades
are still prosperous. and the undercuTent
Of conservatism that exists in some quar-
ters has not retarded to any measurable
extent the steady broadening OF industrial
and mercantile activity. The Balkan sit
uation has caused some financial strain
abroad and part OF the heavy European
gold requirements have been shifted TO this
side This, in connection with the demands
occasioned by our increasing domestic
trade, has impaired a slightly hrmer tone
to the money market. The open winter
while somewhat unfavorable to retail
trade, has afforded a stimulus TO various
branches Of industry. Building and allied
lines, for example. have been generally
active. and the unusual weather has
added materially to the already large
traffic Of the railroads, whose gross earn
ings during four weeks OF January In
creased 1873 per cent The heavy orders
for cars. rails and other equipment have
IN turn contributed largely TO the great
activity of the iron and steel industry
which, I'm most OF It's divisions. is operat-
ing close to the limits Nof capacity. Not
withstanding the strike in the clothing in
dustry, the important textile trades are
PROSPEROUS. while the shoe trade IS also
doing exceedingly well Recent snow has
improved winter wheat conditions. The
record Of foreign commerce continues to
be one Of the striking features OF the busi-
ness situation. During the latest week at
the port OF New York the exports were
so. z1G05l. an increase OF $4,000 to S.
$4,000 over the two preceding years. and
an excess Of s2.065,33l over the imports,
which were S2,JO,0co less than last year.
although 100000 greater than in 1911.
The expansion OF business, both domestic
and foreign, reveals itself not only in the
reports from the different cities and lines
OF trade, but also In the volume of bank
exchanges. In the last week they were
CO per cent larger than last year and 80
per cent larger than in 1911. whilo for Jan
crease Of 7.5 per cent, as compared with
the same month last year, and 1876, as
compared with January, 1911. Every sec
ton showed gains, except New England,
where the decrease was only IA per cent,
and in the Southern, Central and Western
states the increases were notably large"
In "Bradstrcet's' report of the state OF
trade an analytical survey of the various
sections Is shown in the following:
Trade is expanding, visiting buyers are
increasing their purchases rs the season
progresses, and in consequence February
opens auspiciously. Spring shipments are
going forward in volume. retail dealers
continue 40 press jobbers for goods. colder
weather. combined with clearance sales,
mas impaired zest 20 final distribution;
Industrial operations are as active as
heretofore, winter wheat Is in good shape,
money is in active demand. and. save in
a few lines. merchants display no particu-
lar apprehension over prospective tariif
changes. Real wants rather than senti-
mental factors, Of which there are a num-
Der, at least on the surface, govern the
situation. OF course. there are few
sections and some lines that feel the
chcckreins of adverse influences. Thus. in
the lower Mississippi Valley fears Of high
water in the spring tend TO retard de-
veopments, while past poor crops in tho
Southeast exert an unfavorablc effect
upon fhli'u uflldiu, anu III w slSillits tpli
too. much snow has held up logging. this
i'm turn having caused lumber mills TO
close because of poor supplies of raw ma
terial, while the clothing trade I'm the
East has been besct by strikes, which
have induced manufacturers TO either can
eel or attempt to cancel their mill orders
for spring fabrics. At the same time
buyers of woollens manifest more or less
conservatism because OF their inability 10
gauge the full extent of probable tariif
changes. Still, house trade as well as
road orders is OF good volume. and even
in parts of the South, where trade has
Ia gged. csrnivals have helped to make for
activity in retail trade. Most lines OF
drygoods are active. and merchants
throughout the major part OF the country
seem to be anxious to get supplies"