Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 75, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1904 — COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL

—— Advices from Important New York. commercial centers, while —— —' reflecting disturbance due _tOijßrevalciice of unseasonable weather, says the International Mercantile Agency, emphasize the basic strength underlying trade conditions, with actual results considerably ahead of last year. Continued cold in the South and Southwest has retarded wholesale trade except for boots, shoes and rubbers, where an extraordinary demand is. keeping factories working overtime. Excellent business is reported in the West in groceries, dry goods, bard: ware, machinery, hats and caps, territory tributary to St. Louis showing exceptional results because of rush orders for “exposition week.” Low temperature, while restricting spring business, is aiding merchants to close out heavy-weight goods, with the result that the stock carried over will be unusually small. While advance orders are somewhat backward, indications point to extraordinary activity during May if seasonable weather prevails. Enormous demand is reported for agricultural implements, farmers evidencing little alarm over the future. Labor troubles are retarding business in Alabama, lowa, Colorado and parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio. This contributes uncertainty to a situation which will, however, be in a measure relieved by the agreement' of the iron and mine workers, which becomes effective in Colorado June 1. That will give partial assurance of fixed conditions for two years. In other sections more or less trouble is being experienced, although interference is not general or expected to extend materially. This Is emphasized by the apparent willingness of mining organizations to modify their requests in accordance with restricted output and' some evidence of business reaction. CiliCdHO of Chicago trade says: * ‘ The labor situation, while presenting a satisfactory contrast with that of a year ago, is not entirely devoid of complications requiring prompt adjustment to insure non-interruption of activity. With the better organization of both employers and wage-earn-ers pending differences may be solved without interference to general business. Aside from this feature the conditions of trade in most branches reflect continued improvement. Limited dealings in breadstuffs are still conspicuous, but, on the other hand, advance appears in consumption, of other commodities and in the demand for manufactured products. Better weather helped materially in bringing a gratifying change throughout the week, the most notable effect being larger purchases in the prominent retail lines and staples. Transactions at wholesale approximated fair proportions, the buying bulking best in dry goods, suits, shoes and clothing. Grain shipments, 1.253,878 bushels, are 69.04 per cent under those of the sank week last year. The wholesale price of flour was marked down slightly, but millers were enabled to maintain their quotations for export owing to restricted prdduction. Receipts of live stock, 285,261 head, compare with 200,339 same week last year. Hogs closed 1§ cents higher, and heavy beeves declined 5 cents, but choice sheep show no change.