Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1907 — COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL

CHICAGO. In the largely increased volume of payments through the banks, decline in commercial defaults and shipments of breadstuffs double those of last year bringing the highest prices this season are found encouraging testimony to well-sustained activity in buiness. Less presure is also evident in money and the autumn demand for necessaries and factory outputs reflects steady consumption, which would not be so were the purchasing power generally curtailed. Weather conditions favor the leading distributive lines and movements of commodities compare favorably with a year ago, forwarding to the interior being especially heavy. New contracts In iron and steel show best* in structural shapes, wire, pipe and merchant iron, but there is no falling off in furnace deliveries and rail mills have bookings running into next July. Mercantile collections in the West make a satisfactory showing and credits are regarded healthy, notwithstanding the tightness of money. Agriculturists continue prompt in their marketings for cash and -the unusualTy 'profitable returns add rapidly to country bank deposits. Retail trade here and at interior centers is seen to be of seasonable proportions. Buying remains large in wholesale branches of dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes, fur? Bank clearings, $269,577,109, exceed those of corresponding week in 1906 by 18.7 per cent, Failures reported in the -Chicago district number 18, against 24 last week and 26 a year ago. Those with liabilities over $5,000 were 5 in number, against 9 last year.—Duns Trade Review.

NEW Y»RK. Trade, crop and industrial reports arerather more irregular. Interest as to distributive trade has now largely passed' from the wholesale and jobbing branchesto retail trade, the development and proportions of which will be closely scrutinized from now bni So far the reports as To this Tine are conflicting, being best io parts bf the Northwest, Southwest and South, and relatively slackest at the East,, which needs sharp, cold weather for best activities. Jobbing business is fair as a whole, it being noted that house trade is very quiet, while filling-in orders vary with sections reporting. The money stringency is an additional feature which attracts attention, affecting as it does the_ item of collections on' past transactions. As to this item of collections, too, it may be said that holding of crops has been a subject of complaint from several points. Business failures in the United Statesfor the week ending Oct. 17 number 194, against 192 last week, 170 in the like week of 1906, 178 in 1905, 227 in 1904 and 216 in 1903. Canadian failures for the week number 36, as against 24 last week and 18 in this week a year ago.— Bradstreet’s Commiercial Report.