Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 February 1905 — COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL

to York.

Bradstreet’s review of the country’s trade conditions for the week says:

Railroad earnings for January will show a moderate increase in gross receipts. Pig iron remains quiet, as heretofore reported, but this quiet in the crude form is not indicative of the very large business in finished products, said to be of next to record proportions, so far as orders on hand and specifications coming in can indicate. Hardware, while rather quieter, is iu excellent shape, and manufacturers are largely sold ahead. Copper and lead are higher on the week. The dry goods trade still shows hesitation in the cotton goods branch. Woolen goods meet with encouraging trade at the leading Eastern centers. Western jobbers note that cold weather restricts buying at large centers, but a fair business is doing through salesmen. Eastern shoe manufacturers report fair orders, but shipments are smaller than a year ago., Wool is quiet but firm here. London wool sales prices, were good, except that some low r grade cross-breds weakened slightly.

Weather conditions curtail outdoor activities and especially affect coal trade movements. Owing to car congestion, shipments are away behind, and ice in harboVs affects deliveries'to vessels. Building activity has been lessened by recent cold weather, and lumber and building material for immediate use are affected thereby. Lumber, however, is strong at primary points, and a large demand at high prices is looked for. Business failures for the week ending Feb. 2 in the United States number 239, against 228 last week, 21G in the like week in 190-1, 208 in 1903, 247 in 1902, and 250 in 1901. In Canada failures for the week number 30, as against 43 last week and 23 in this week a year ago.

Chicago.

The weekly review of Chicago trade, published by R. G. Dun & Co.,

says: Retail trade, notwithstanding adverse elements, made a fair showing in the volume of dealings. Distributers of general merchandise report encouraging features. Mail advices from various interior points indicate that stocks have been selling well, and much replenishing is going on, and will continue should cold weather be prolonged, Orders for spring deliver/" have come forward satisfactorily, and the house buying increased in dry goods, footwear, wearing apparel, and furniture. Visiting merchants are planning confidently for larger sales during the coming months, and mercantile collections are reasonable. Fuel and raw materials were in ample supply and enabled the factories to run- without interruption. Price changes appeared in only a few limn, the most important being an advance in nails and other wire products. Whe'it and sheep rose slightly in value, but other food stuffs made lower quotations in corn, oats, pork and cattle. Bank clearings, $187,458,732, are 12.4 per cent over those of a year ago. Failures reported in Chicago district number twenty-nine, against twentyfour last week, and twenty-seven a year ago.