Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 January 1907 — COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL

CHICAGO. With a volume of exchanges at the banks which does not measure up to those of a year ago. there are encouraging offsets in steadily increasing deposits and comparatively light commercial defaults. The dominant feature which characterizes the business situation :> the coAfltM fooling In the general outlook for another pel iod of progress. ITub.'atjlC no previous year started here with greater pressure upon available capacity, more forward orders or more labor active at the highest wages hitherto-^lid. Notwithstanding additions to plants under Way and. contemplated it would appear that there is but slight possibility for a material .addition to the; outputs of Iron and steel during this year. Other important industries received* a fair amount of new bookings (or future doii\*>i'ios. — iConditions remain good in heavy machinery and hardware, electric power, farm implements, brass products and automobiles. I'huis for new buildings and other improvements exceed those of a year ago, wood-working lines-make larger outputs and lumber receipts continue gaining, although scarcity still exists for manufacturing purposes in the hard woods.

Distribution of live stock and proyicinnc i-pHeeta seasonable volume, but demand is yet moderate for grain and flour and prices for the latter score only a fractional recovery. The total movement of grain at this port, 9,990,207 bushels, compares with 7,085,104 bushels last year and 9;0GI.711 bushels a year ago. Bank clearings, .$232,152,150, are 2.1 per, cent under those of cort-cspamVing week in 1900, Commercial paper for short terms is in fair supply, currency comes back more freely and there is increasing ease in money, but discount remains at 0 per cent. Failures reported in Chicago district numbered twenty-six, against twentynine last week and thirty-two a year ago.—-Dun’s Review of Trade.

NEW YORK. There are some cross currents In trade which prevent generalization, but as a whole The situation loses little by comparison with preceding years ~at tills early stage of the softsoh T need of seasonable weather is noted throughout the country. In wholesale and jobbing, trade spring season activity is nSt marked as yet, but it is to be noted that a number of lines of cotton goods have been advanced, that Eastern shoe lnaliufacturing centers are filled with buyers looking around and that shipments of goods on orders are being called for. The Western centers also report rather more buying from country merchants. In industrial lines previous activity continues without changes. The money situation is easier in a few centers, notably the Southwest,, where the hanks are reported well supplied with money, but collections in the Northwest are affected by backward grain movement, another example of the cross currents affecting trade settlements. As a whole the market is firm and higher than a year ago at this time*—Bradstrect’s Commercial Report.