Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 August 1902 — COMMEPCIAL FINANCIAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMEPCIAL FINANCIAL

y y j~| “Fuel scarcity is still the NB■ l OTK. one serious industrial handi- — cap. Protracted idleness at anthracite mines increased the pressure for soft coal and coke, and, despite new records of output, deliveries are utterly inadequate, owing to the lack of motive power. Freight blockade of coke trains has closed many furnaces, while the increasing call for transporting facilities on crop account gives little prospect of early relief. Notwithstanding the congestion, railway earnings thus far reported for August show gains of 3.4 per cent over last year and 17 per cent over 1909. Weather conditions have been less uniformly favorable for agricultural products, yet no severe loss is reported. Current trade is of good volume for the season, while the outlook for the future is bright. Buyers are numerous in all the leading markets, placing orders liberally at well-sustained quotations.” The fore going is from the weekly trade review ol R. G. Dun & Co. It continues: ' As the active blast furnace capacity o: this country decreases through wanto: fuel, foreign pig iron is purchased more freely, and Scotch warrants have advanc ed because of the steady demand. Do mestic needs are now far beyond all pre cedent, and even with the available homi capacity active there would be imports although less than are now arriving. There is much that is gratifying in thi state of affairs, but there is also a draw back. During the recent period for ex ceptional domestic demand many expor orders have been sacrificed which Germa: and Belgian makers secured. The outpu of the Connellsville regions continu above all records, but stocks accumulate Bradstreet's says: Wheat and flour ex ports for the week ended Aug. 21 aggrt gate 5,954,759 bushels, against 3,591,80 last week and 6.606,989 in this week las year. 'Wheat exports since July 1 aggn gate 32,944,767 bushels, against 50,675 987 last season. Corn exports aggregat 51,649 bushels, against 93,423 last wee and 523,883 last year. For the fisc; year corn exports are 703.493 bushel: against 9,751,051 last season.

Financial conditions ar LlliCdCO. easy money everywhere, i: creasing activity in a lines, expansion of trade and the dail launching of new business ventures; th: is the story of the past week in the bus cess world. It is a time of confidenc of prosperity and plenty, and viewing tl country as a whole, conditions might I pronounced almost ideal were it not f< the one unfavorable factor, having i beginning in the early summer and r maining as a handicap to progress as tl country enters upon the fall season. The week marked the rise of this qne lion of the coal supply into the place - first importance. That a long drawn-o , labor controversy was bound to rest hi a great scarcity of anthracite Coal w ♦vident at the start, yet through tl .‘hirteen weeks of continuation of tl strike there has been always a hope • settlement. Matters have nt last reac cd the stage where the stringency is h ginning to affect the industrial wor seriously, and every passing day increas the feeling of nervousness. Higher prices were made in some co: modifies, owing to crop news of a natu not quite so favorable as in the precedii week. Hides touched new high figun and leather advanced in consequem Lumber remains very firm at late a vances. The jobbing lines are rush with fall business. Unfavorable weather has delayed t Northwestern wheat movement. Ls year from Aug. 1 to Aug. 22 receipts bt were 7,977,000 bushels, while for t same period this year the figures sh( only 2.257,000 bushels. This will be ma 'tip later w’hen the movement gets fa ly under way, but meanwhile this m ter of light receipts has been an. imp, tant offset to bearish sentiment and influence for price maintenance, es; cially in the September option.