444 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



winter supplies at cities situated in the region of maximum tempera- 

 ture deficiency. Coal and stoves became active. While the greater part 

 of the country was unusually cool, the North Pacific coast averaged 

 slightly warmer than usual. And we note that retail trade at Port- 

 land, Ore., was quiet because of the 'continuance of summer weather/ 

 Eailroad earnings in September were adversely affected by the lessened 

 grain movement in the west, and by the damage done by the hurricane 

 on some of the southern railroads. 



October was warmer and drier than usual throughout nearly the 

 whole country. This being a month when cool weather is needed for 

 ' seasonable trade, ' the keynote of the month may be found in the state- 

 ment that where cool, trade conditions were good, and coal, furs, winter 

 clothing, stoves, liquors, etc., were active, and where abnormally warm, 

 retail merchandise distribution was retarded, but the handling of 

 crops, and outdoor work, including building, were helped. The later 

 on in October the warm weather continued, the more unfavorable were 

 its effects on ' seasonable trade. ' Towards the end of the month, hot 

 weather interfered with the 'kill' of cattle, and caused a scant offering 

 of hides; hence prices held well. The shortage in freight cars, which 

 was a conspicuous feature throughout October and the following 

 months, did not cause any serious inconvenience in the case of coal, 

 because of a small demand due to the high temperature. Failures for 

 October showed an increase in the south, where the backward state of 

 cotton checked trade and delayed collections. 



The colder weather of November stimulated trade in heavy cloth- 

 ing, shoes and groceries, and caused an increased demand for oysters 

 and for coal, but rubber footwear was quiet throughout the month, 

 owing to dry weather. The cold weather also started the tide of winter 

 travel to California. Eggs rose in price. At the south, the backward 

 cotton crop was a check to trade. A warm wave during the second 

 week of November checked retail demand in the lower Mississippi 

 Valley, and thence east to the Atlantic Ocean, the depression in trade 

 accompanying the warm wave in its eastward progress. The car short- 

 age in the east, already referred to, was complicated by the unusual 

 movement of corn and oats west to the drought-stricken states, but it 

 was seen that lower temperatures would relieve the situation by stopping 

 lake transportation, and restoring thousands of cars to inland traffic. 

 Abundance of snow in Maine at the end of November facilitated lumber- 

 ing and caused a demand for sleighs, and distinctly colder weather put 

 the market for anthracite on a firm basis. 



Between the 14th and 19th of December, the minimum temperature 

 records for the second decade of that month were broken in all dis- 

 tricts from the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts northwest to the upper 



