Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 October 1903 — COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL

~ u . R. G. Dun A Co.’e NEW lON. Weekly Review of Trad* ■■■- says: Numerous labor controversies have appeared and more furnaces and mills hav* closed, the tendency being to operate only the plants provided with the moat modern equipment. There is no anxiety regarding legislation at the special session of Congress, and despite the curtail' ment of activity iu manufacturing line* a heavy volume of business is being transacted. Flour mills at Minneapolis have fully resumed, and n big season’* cut is contemplated at Minnesota lnm- ’ ber mills. Western traffic facilities are proving inadequate, the distribution of merchandise being enormous at the interior, and, taking the country as • whole, conditions may be considered fairly satisfactory, although there are indisputable evidences that abnormal activity has received a check. Jobbing trade ha* become more quiet with the advancing season, and at many points the weather is not calculated to maintain buying of wearing apparel at retail. Gross earnings of the railways thn* far reported for October surpass last year’s by 6.2 per cent. Another general reduction In quotations of pig iron has occurred, notwithstanding the restriction of output, and a movement is on foot to further reduce production unless business improves. New orders are few and limited to immediate requirements, which is also true of finished steel. Not only have additional contracts failed to bo offered, but cancellations of old order* are reported.

| The position of general I Chicago. trade is one of continued I “ * steadiness, and is strengthened by favorable reports from the agricultural districts showing progress in farm work and the reopening of an important branch in the steel industry, ensuring employment to several thousand men. Harvesting of the crops is well advanced, nnd the only difficulty hi marketing is owing to deficiency iu necessary cars, felt most throughout the Southwest. Gain nppears in the receipts of leading products, except wheat, which shows disappointing volume. Distribution of merchandise remains as large as in the corresponding week of last year, and consumption shows little change, the buying in retail lines being of the best and very strong in wearing apparel and other necessities. Considerable business In staples is handled by jobbers, and the mail-order houses are tested to the full capacity of their working forces. Grain shipments for six days, 4,327,033 bushels, are 30 per cent ufider the previous week, but largely in excess of a year ago. Dealings in the pits are less animated and prices are influenced in the leading cereal by increased Argentine shipments to Europe. Domestic buying of wheat is good and helps to maintain the price, which closed the same as for the previous week. Coarse grain* included few important transactions and the closing shows declines in corn fiv*eighths of a cent and oats half a cent. Bradatreet’a Grain Report. Wheat, including flour, exports for tho week ending Get. 22 aggregate 4,265,080 bushels, against 2,805.010 last week, 7,060.137 this week laßt year, 4,932,134 in 1901 and 4,932,978 in 1900. For sixteen weeks of the cereal year the aggregate 49,806.774 bushels, against 83,826,319 in 1902, 95,530,959 in 1901 and 50,216,311 in 1900. Com exports for the week -aggregate 1,809,885 bushel*, against 1,410,412 last week, 84,564 a yenr ago, 1,188,288 in 1901 and 3.365,651 in 1900. For sixteen weeks of the present cereal year they aggregate*l7,oso,s37 bushels, against 1,578,846 in 1902, 14,639,183 in 1901 and 49,847,048 in 1900.