Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 130, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 November 1903 — COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL

TJ v . R. G. Dun & Co.’s NSIMHm. Weekly Review of Trade ——— says: Industrial activity has increased somewhat, many plants resuming and others preparing to reopen Monday. Several pending labor controversies have reached amicable adjustment* adding to the aggregate of wage earners employed. On the other hand, strikes are ordered and some mills will be closed by lack of new business, while the struggle for control of the copper properties has thrown thousands out of work. While these is evidence of a setback in the steel industry and soms hesitation in textiles at the East, the general tenor of these reports is encouraging for a continuance of prosperity, particularly in the sections where agriculture is the chief occupation. Collections are causing some 'tin-* easiness, and financial conditions are unsettled. Merchandise is freely distributed; earnings for October thus far surpass last year’s by 5.9 per cent and those of 1901 by 13.4 per cent. Purchases of iron and steel products are still restricted to immediate requirements as a rule, although the decline in quotations appears checked. Some trade authorities- anticipate an avalauche of business when buyers are convinced that more attractive terms cannot be secured, but other experts believe contracts will not be freely placed until financial conditions improve to such an extent the railways and other big consumers can serve funds readily. Some increased interest is noted in structural material for office buildings, warehouses and bridges, but orders are insignificant when compared with last year’s business in this line. For the first time this season it is possible to record a distinctly better tone in the market for cotton goods. Print cloths are firmer, occasional small advances being quoted, and the market for staple and fancy prints is strengthened by the paucity of supplies. A slight increase in sales of woolens is not sufficient to recover lost ground, nor is supplementary business up to the volume that should be coming forward at this time.

~ Although the curtailLniGdQO. ment of production in fina islied iron- and a partial strike of packing house workers for more wages has created a disturbing feeling, but little appreciable reaction appears in the aggregate volume of current business. Freight traffic shows no falling away. The distribution of merchandise through wholesale and leading retail channels compares favorably with a year ago, and there are larger dealings at the banks and in foodstuffs. Weather conditions liavyfavored the progress of seeding and farm work, and the marketing of crops adds to a wider circulation of money throughout - the interior. The prices of agricultural products maintain unusual- firmness. Machinery and hardware factories are kept quite busy, some of the latter working bard to overtake old business. Mercantile collections mako a satisfactory showing, and the number of reported failures for the Chicago district does not exceed same week of 1902. Grain shipments for six days, including 2,757,336 bushels of corn, aggregate 6,550,740 bushels, and are almost 20 per cent over the previous week and fully double those of a year-ago. The general demand has been fair and prices well sustained compared with closing a week ago. Live stack receipts, 324,528- head, are slightly over the corresponding week of 1902. Sheep advanced 15 cents per hundred weight.- Choice beeves declined 15 cents and hogs closed weak with 50 cents loss. Dealings in provisions show? ed best on domestic buying, and closing quotations were unchanged in ribs, . 5 cents higher in bird and cents better in poA.