Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 December 1903 — COMMEPCIAL AND FINANCIAL COMMEPCIAL AND FINANCIAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMEPCIAL AND FINANCIAL

~ n ' R. G. Dun & Co.’» New York. Weekly Review of Trade — says: Trade is seasonably quiet, except in the lines affected by weather and those embracing holiday goods, Which are in good demand. Activity is especially conspicuous among footwea? jobbers and retailers. Commodities are generally lower in price, although a few important articles, such as cotton, eggs' and dairy products, have risen so sharply that Dun’s index number on Dec. 1 was $98,223, against $97,825 a month previous. For the year there is a decline of about 2 per cent. Manufacturing conditions are still irregular.' the best symptom of the week being the steadiness of iron and steel. Textile mills still find it difficult to secure prices -hi proper ratio to the raw materia), the violent advance in cotton adding to the embarrassment of epinners, who have only limited supplies on hand. Light stocks of hard wood maintain prices, but the demand is moderate. Railway earnings in three weeks of November were 4.80 per cent larger than a year previous. Several encouraging reports are received regarding the iron and steel situation. In moat- cases the proposed reductions in wages have met with no opposition, and such business as comes forward is handled without interruption. Another good sign is that the week has brought no further reduction in prices. Steel mills have received several fair contracts for structural shapes and railway supplies. Cotton mills have suffered further from the vagaries of the raw material, and the latest advance must have obliterated any profits secured by the reduction of wages. Failures this week were 331, against 258 last week, 249 the'preceding week and 204 the corresponding week last year.

1 In several leading indusCnicago. tpies additional retrench8 ment is in effect, but along with this there is less releasing of hands than was expected, and in some respects trade conditions have improved and the outlook cleared of several perplexities. New undertakings involving large expenditures and requiring much material are considered with easier confidence by their projectors, and there is added value in agricultural products and lr/ger consumption of iron. Money condi/ons, also, are shaping toward a lower discount rate. The general distribution of merchandise shows augmentation, reorders frequently appearing iu the staples and for goods of seasouable character. Holiday specialties are in stronger request, and the month opened with good promise for active dealings along until Christmas. Retail trade is much helped by the weather and current buying is breaking rapidly into stocks, although there is yet less pressure in tjie high-priced articles. Mail order houses are- rushed with demands nnd the aggregate makes favorable comparison with twelve months ago. Failures in the Chicago district number 35. against 40 the previous week and 27 a year ago. Grain shipments, including 1,370,177 bushels of corn, are 39.09 per cent over the corresponding week of 1902. Domestic demand has widened and prices advanced over a week ago in wheat cents, corn 1 % cents and oats 1 cent. Live stock receipts, 289,428 head, are 30 per cent under a year ago.