Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 69, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 May 1907 — COMMEPCIAL FINANCIAl [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMEPCIAL FINANCIAl

CHICAGO. Spring activity exhibits proportions .hitherto not exceeded in production, transportation of products and new demands, leading industries maintain their unprecedented outputs and improving money conditions are as,favorable factor in the outlook. Mercantile collections throughout the West remain remarkably prompt and, despite the dearness of discounts Which has prevailed, trading defaults still compare quite favorably with those of a year ago. Retail trade here and, in the country is steady, but requires rising temperature to stimulate the movement of seasonable goods. Wholesale dealings in staple merchandise reflect confident buying for fail shipment, the consignments making a gratifying aggregate in textiles, boots and shoes, clothing and food products. Bank clearings, $230,428,869, exceed those of corresponding week in 1906 by 14.4 per cent. Failures reported in the Chicago district number 19, against 17 last week and 29 a year ago.—Dun’s Review 6f Trade.

NEW YORK. Weather conditions this week, as for nearly a month past, have been a bar to retail trade activity and to seasonable crop development throughout a wide area. In jobbing and wholesale trade lines filling 'in orders are in smaller volume than expected, but business as a whole’is good for a between seasons period. There is still a marked scarcity of goods needed for prompt delivery and much cross buying between different jobbers and sections of country. In manufacturing lines the story is one of filled order books and of backward deliveries. Collections improved in spots and this tendency is apt to gain with favorable weather. The‘ labor situation is one of great strength. Strikes are notably few for a May, .1 period, and while railroad retrenchment makes for a larger supply of unskilled labor, the skilled branches are very well employed. Business failures in the United States for the week ending April 25 number 157, against 167 last week and 177 in the like week of 1906. Canadian failures for the week number 23. against IS last week and 22 in this week a year ago. Wheat, including flour, exports from the United States and Canada for the week ending April 25, aggregated 2,580,242 "bushels, against 3,102,467 last v#ek and 2,149,684 this week last year; for the last forty-three weeks of the fiscal year, 141,565,731 bushels, against 111,501.401 in 1905-6. Corn exports for the week are 1,611,041 bushels, against 1,939,622 last week and 1,428,921 a year ago; for the fiscal year to date, 59,610,242 bushels, against 102,802,028 in 1905-6. — Bradstreet’s Report.