Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 March 1903 — COMMEPCIAL FINANCIAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMEPCIAL FINANCIAL

Tj ~ “Further improvement in Mlf lOM. the movement of freight **■ '■ • and fuel makes the general situation more favorable, although shippers are still constantly complaining and pig iron furnaces are not able to run steudily. Numerous labor struggles also interrupt manufacturing, yet mills and shops are producing freely as a rule. Jobbers and wholesalers are busy, while spring retail trade has opened very well in many lines, notably wearing apparel.” The foregoing is from the Weekly Trade Review of It. G. Dun & Co. It continues: Permits for building operations show large gains over last year’s figures, giving additional strength to lumber and other materials. Prices of commodities scarcely altered in the aggregate daring February, Dun’s index number being $101,0G7 on March 1, against $100,920 a month previous. Foreign trade con tinues very heavy. Conditions in the iron and steel Indus try need no other elucidation than the plans announced by the United States Steel Corporation. The last week lias brought out a large quantity of new orders, as is customary at this suasou. Among the lending features were liberal purchases of pipes, tubes, agricultural Implements, structural shapes and railway equipment. A heavy tonnage of steel rails was placed, particularly for trolley lines. Quotations are firmly held in all departments of this industry, and in several Instances the week lias brought a higher level. Tin plates were advanced $4 a ton. Billets, bars and pig iron are still in great demand, and further imports have been arranged. This business would be still heavier but for the strength of foreign markets. Failures this week numbered 229 in the United States, against 176 last year, and 10 in Canada, compared with 17a year ago. Bradatreet’s Grain Report. Wheat, including flour, exports for the week ending March 5 aggregate 3,491,480 bushels, against 2,650,839 last year, 4,095,944 in this week a year ago and 4,229,528 in 1901. Wheat exports since July 1 aggregate 104.284,134 bushels, against 184,202,043 last season, and 138,525,480 in 1901. Corn exports aggregate 3,817,009 bushels, against 2,308,939 last week, 352,400 a year ago, and 3,950,137 in 1901. For, the fiscal year exports are 34,557,191 bushels, against 23,471,390 last sea-on, and 135,736,401 in 1901. IT; Into tlie West we find LHIC3QOL conditions extremely gratThe South is just now on tlie verge of the annual period of high water, and already many of the rivers are close to the danger point. Fear of flood has delayed trade nnd the week in the South is reported hardly up to normal. Elsewhere through the country btisioess is going on in a volume larger than st this time last year, and tb.ls week brought a large increase in demand for everything in the line of building material, this foreshadowing a year of new construction on a very large scale. In tlie Northwest business men have little to complain of aside from the matter of insufficient freight service, which remains the one really bad feature. Tho railroads, in trying to cover all demands without enough rolling stock, and in endeavoring to make every car do the greatest possible amount of service, have been imposing new restrictions upon shippers from time to time. Some of tho larger shippers, as the millers, have Ignored the later Instructions and have fought it out successfully with the roads. The Northwest is looking to the opening of navigation more anxiously this year than ever before, for this will mean relief from a situation that is intolerable.