Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1903 — COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL

fTJ ~ pi R. G. Dun & Co's N6I YOrk. Weekly Review of Trade says: Seasonable temperature and holiday purchases stimulated retail trade, making results more satisfactory during the f>ast week than at any recent date. Improvement was most conspicuous in heavy wearing apparel and kindred lines that have remained dull because of the mild .Weather. Another encouraging feature was the resumption of work .at the New York mills, although there is still much idle machinery, especially in the textile and iron industries. Thousands of operatives are idle because of the shutdown at a few of the paper mills. In view of the numerous wage reductions there Is noteworthy harmony between employers and workers, indicating that labor leaders appreciate the necessity of sharing in the readjustment. It is at last possible to perceive an improvement in the demand for pig iron, duo to the exhaustion of supplies by consumers, the extensive reduction in output and absence of further price concessions. Business is by no means brisk,* nor ia there any expectation of wholesome activity during the remaining weeks of this year. Yet there is evidence of returning confidence with the lapse of time. Makers of structural shapes are also looking forward to a resumption of building operations that were demoralized and discontinued because of contentions between employers and wage earners. Textile manufacturing conditions are without alteration. Colder weather stimulated retail trade in woolens and worsteds, but as yet there is no improvement in piece goods. Failures this week numbered 258 in the United States, against 213 last year, and 14 in Canada, compared with 1( a year ago. - 171 Dun’s review of Chi * go LDIGaOD. trade » published by R. G. M Dun & Co., says: Business casualties are above the nor mal and mainly confined to small traders, but as an offset there is an easier tone in the money market and improvement in the consumption of merchandise. The distribution of seasonable wares reached a very satisfactory aggregate, weather conditions and settlement of the street car strike being favorable factors. Retail trade has been extensive in holiday goods and necessities, and highpriced articles sold freely. East-bound shipments of foodstuffs exceeded the tonnage of a year ago, and along with continued gains in railroad earnings there is a heavy traffic in agricultural products throughout the interior. Grain shipments, including 1,048,861 bushels of corn, aggregate 3,216,013 bushels, an Increase of 20.02 per cent over the corresponding week of 1902. Foreign buying has shown slightly regaining strength in wheat and flour, bnt the coarse grains are in slower demand. Compared with last week’s closing prices are lower. Receipts of live stock, 401,947 head, are almost 3 per cent over a year ago. Packing throughout the West is close to the volume of a year ago, but local 6tocks are expected to show some depletion on the forthcoming monthly statement. Reports from the farms and ranges indicate satisfactory conditions, and the winter outlook is good for wheat and stock. Bank clearings, $149,674,444, are 5.01 per cent over a year ago.