Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1903 — COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL

New York.

“Earnings of railway* for August thus far ahow an average gain 0L7.7 per

cent over last year’s figures per cent Compared with 1901. Distribution of merchandise is very heavy, more interruption to traffic being recorded, and in staple lines prices, are steady. Preparations for fall trade are vigorous, many manufacturers working ovetime to fill important orders. Colections are fully as prompt as usual for the season, although in some lines there is lees inclination to discount bills,” according to R. G. Dun & Co.’s Weekly Review of Trade. Continuing, the report says: Crop news is reassuring. Foreign trade at this port for the last week showed a loss of $1,461,049 in exports, as compared with the same week last year, and imports decreased $2,127,575. Hesitation in certain branches of the iron and steel industry,, incident to the season and aggravated by labor controversies, is indicated with some degree of definiteness by the monthly statistics just published by the Iron Age. The feature this week has been the liberal purchasing of heavy shoes for next spring by local jobbers. Leather has at last shown the increase in activity promised by the vigorous operation of factories', nnd both sole and upper leather find a better market, although no large contracts have yet been placed. Hides continue weak, but the average does not exhibit the fall that has been the rule in recent preceding weeks, some lines slightly recovering. Failures this week numbered 174 in the United States, against 106 last year, and in Canada 22, compared with 21 a year ago. Bradstreet’a Trade Review. Bradstreet’s says: Developments this week have been largely favorable. Prominent among these is the lessening of pressure at the country’s financial center, which has led to a vnore optimistic feeling in the country at large. Wheat, including flour, exports for the week ending the 13th aggregate 3,413,191 bushels, against 3,040,629 last week, 4,591,805 this week last year, 1,039,761 in 1901, nnd 3.113,641 in 1900. For six weeks of the cereal year they aggregate 18.460.4-14 bushtfis,- against 25,385,008 in 1902. 41.546,900 in 1901, and 17,982,438 in 1900. Com exports for the week aggregate 707,387 bushels, against 884,428 last week, 93,423 a year ago, 505.807 in 1901, and 3,017,081 in 1900. For six weeks of the present cereal year they aggregate 6.949,480 bushels, against 587,860 in 1902, 7.733,220 in 1901, and 21,266,820 in 1900.

ChiGago.

The bulls in the stock market have now one great fear. The corn crop is very

late, should the frosts it, great damage would likely result and this would probajaly mean an immediate revival of the bears and a new bear campaign with particular pressure upon the corn roads. With good weather from now on the bulls have much in their favor. The West has trouble already over freight congestion. Merchandise is moving in increasing volume. Trade reports on the whole nre very favorable. The iron business is brisk, and inquiry for fall merchandise is reported heavy by eastern jobbers and manufacturers.