Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1904 — COMMEPCIAL AND FINANCIAL. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMEPCIAL AND FINANCIAL.

~~ R. G. Dun & Co.’b ClliCdQO. Weekly Review of Chicago a trade says: Steadily increasing demands for sea-' sonable merchandise and furnace products have given added strength to general business. A slight falling off in railroad traffic is due to difficulty in getting sufficient cars at the points where most needed and does not affect net earnings. Speculation in leading foodstuffs and upward forcing of prices lessened cash trades and caused a sharp shrinkage iu shipments. Wholesale trade shows steady advance, both in house dealings for current needs and country merchant selections for spring delivery. Most branches of dry goods, footwear and clothing report sales reaching a good average. Less backwardness appears in the buying of high priced lines. There is improving tendency in woolens, cloaks and suits, and fair volume characterizes groceries, canned goods and paints. Mercantile collections are easier on loca. bills and good for the interior. The outlook for new building work has become more encouraging and prices of materials are firming. Grain shipments, 2,294,117 bushels, are 13 per cent under the total of the corresponding week of 1903. Sales of flour made a fair average, with good profits to millers, but while the principal grains have risen in value, the actual dealings show a restricted aggregate. Provisions have been liberally taken and continued, the recently noted upturn advances being in lard 32% cents, pork 22% cents and in ribs 12% cents. stock receipts, 363,901 head, are 5 per cent under a year ago. Bank clearings, $177,698,695. fall fully one-half of 1 per cent under the corresponding week of 1903. Failures in the Chicago district number 37, against 35 a year ago.

” “—"— Weather conditions have Nei York, furnished the chief influences in the general trade situation. To some extent traffic has been hindered, especially at the East, - but the latest returns of railway earnings for January show an increase of 3.9 per cent over 1903. Consumption of fuel was increased, and retail trade in coal greatly expanded, but no commensurate gain at first hands is reported, owing to the large supplies held by dealers. Retail distribution of footwear and heavy wearing apparel felt the stimulus, j and anniial clearance sales removed accumulations of dry goods, millinery, etcah to quotations, there is nominally no alteration. In so far as this new* 1 business keeps mills active the situationot has improved. Scrap iron and steel con-< tinue firm, and old rails are the strongest feature. o( Of scarcely less interest than the normal price of raw cotton is the situation as to the size of stocks of inanufac-il tured goods. Much depends on the of purchasing, thus far a limited amount of new business being offered.- The rdf seems to be no uncertainty regarding the scarcity in first hands, for there is delay in the few contracts tendered. Prin' cloths again advanced, but otherwise for mer quotations prevail. More new lines of woolens were opened at concessions' nnd simultaneously the London auctior sale produced slightly higher quotations, for raw wool, and the situation in this', branch of textile fabrics is becoming as complicated as the cotton industry. Increased activity and strength is re-0 ported in the domestic hide market. ~ Failures this week numbered 358 in the United States, against 2G5 last year, and 33 in Canada, compared witli 27 a year ago. .