Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1907 — COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL

CHICAGO. ' Midsummer conditions are now entered into, but trade in the aggregate discloses less, decline in activity than usual. The volume of distributive trade remains exceptionally wide and the leading industries show no dispositiou to curtail production, the full employment of machinery and available workers being imperative to sustain prompt deliveries. Some plants are yet considerably behind on old contracts and-the pressure here involves ■ much—extra —effort- -and —overtime —to —increase outputs. Heavy hardware, machinery, furniture and footwear demands average favorably with those of a year ago, and the prices obtained afford a fair margin of profit. A slight falling off in building permits does not interfere with current operations in construction. ’ —■ ; Leading retail trade has advanced to seasonable proportions, and the clearance sales make substantial inroads upon stocks of lightweight apparel, boots and; shoes and headwear. Conservatism in selections of merchandise is confined to a few points where harvesting is poor, but the outlook for business in fall and winter goods appears to be improving. Grain markets disclose further contraction in prices and buying of the leading breadsdue- mainly to the government crop report indicating probabilities of adequate results under normal weather conditions. , “ The total movement of grain at this port, 7,818,947 bushels compares with 9,789,132 bushels last week and 5,586,322 bushels a year ago. Compared with those of last year, receipts decreased 12.2 per cent, while the shipments gained 174 per cent. Receipts of live -stock jyere 236,998 head, against 246,157 head last week and 230,447 head in 1906. Other receipts increased over the corresponding west, last _year in flour, wheat, rye, dressed beef, lard, butter, eggs, wool and sheep, and decreased in corn, oats, bafley, seeds, broomcorn, pork, cheese, cattle and hogs. Compared with the closings a week ago, prices advanced in oats % cent,cattle and...sheep.S cents, lard cents, ribs 12% cents and pork 35 cents, and declined in corn % cent and wheat 4% cents. Bank clearings, $261,174,200, exceed those of corresponding week in 1906 by 24.8 per cent. ' Failures reported in the Chicago district number 25, against 26 last week and 18 a year ago.—Dun’s Review of Trade. NEW YORK. Continued favorable weather, coupled with improvement in reorder business with jobbers and in payments on past business, give a more optimistic tone to the general situation than seemed possible _a mouth ago. That some trade was lost for this reason is, of course, certain, as is the fact that reduction sales have been necessary to move some slow selling goods; but It is noted that cotton goods have again been advanced, that dress fabrics are selling better, and men’s wear, woolen and clothing dealers take a much more cheerful view of the outlook. Telegrams to Bradstreet’s show the effect of midsummer conditions on many lines, but_fall shipments have begun in larger volume than a year ago, and where the crop outlook is defined there is a slightly more pronounced disposition to buy more freely for future delivery. Manufacturers at the East are displaying still more interest in the wool market, and sales are reported very large. Demand is very general, however, for long staple wools suitable for fine grades of woolen and worsted goods. Old stocks are small. Business failures for the week ending July 11 number 185, against 135 last week, 143 in the like week of 1906, 166 in 1905, 203 In 1904 and 173 in 1903. Canadian failures for the week number 28, against lO last week and 19 in this week a year ago.—Bradstreet’s Commercial Report.