OCR Text |
Show THE COMMERCIAL REPORTS. The reports of the commercial ngen-cles ngen-cles for the week show great activity In business, despite unseasonable weather, hollda) trade Is heuv), nnd there Is unusual nctlvlt) In order for spring c.oods, Industrie nre producing at n high rate and the general business of Ihe country vva never on a stronger or more satisfactory basl than now. Dun report that though lower prices have ruled for railway stocks, this Is more because of Inability of thc roads to handle thc tiafflo than for other causes nnd although every manufacturing manufac-turing establishment Is better equipped than ever before thero Is no possibility of filling railroad orders for equipment Distribution of merchandise Is well maintained, there Is a heavy holiday trade, and tard) dellv'crle tcstlf) to the heav) consumption Prospects for continued con-tinued actlv It) arc bright. The rnllvva) earnings continue to advance, tho Hist week lu November showing n rise of 4 3 per cent over 1901, and 1SS per cent over 1100 High temperature retards retail re-tail trade III seasonable goods 1'allures for the week number :il, ngalnst .15 last )enr. Hrndslroct reports trade, Industry and transportation continuing active, despite de-spite warm weather dravvbuck and scarcity of fuel and tar and motive power shortage Cold weather Is needed to stimulate consumption of winter goods Holiday features aro In execp-tlonnlly execp-tlonnlly active demand, distribution far In execs of nny former jear will probably prob-ably bo realized More than usual activity ac-tivity is manifest ln spring goods, Indicating Indi-cating wldesnrcnd contldcnie In pros perous conditions next )cnr. The fuel sltuntlon Is not materially Improved, and steel unci Iron manufacturer nre discouraged b) their Inability to till older now on their books A heavy volume of winter goods Is moving on previous orden Collection remain exceptionally ex-ceptionally good rumlture makers pro unable to keep up with order, thc lumber trado Is still quite active, tho boot and shoe business I In good shape, and sharp difference nre notable In thn Iron nnd steel trade. The business failures fail-ures In this country during tho week numbered -03 a against 148 last week and 313 In this week last car. The bank clearings, compared with (ho corresponding week last eni, showed a decrense of one-tenth of 1 per cent In the tountiy at largo, tho decrease lu New ork was 3 8 per cent, the Increase In thr cities ot the country coun-try outsldo of New York vvna "7 per cent In Silt Ijiko City the decrease was 3 5 per tent |