The Portland daily press., 1882-05-05
DOWN TOWN.
Financial-Value of Imports AID Exports
Iron Industries-The Ocean
Steamship Business.

The Boston money market was easy yesterday
and rates were unchanged. The STOCK Market
opened little stronger. Governments were a
shade lower except for AIS which advanced &.
Foreign exchange was easier.
The imports into this port during the month
Of March, were S436 ,062; the exports of do
nestle merchandise were valued at S503, 495,
and of foreign merchandise, $1O,679.
The last Philadelphia iron market report
says that with the demand weakening percept-
IDLY and the cost of production pointing up
ward the iron trade is in an unsettled condi-
ton. A number of blast furnaces are accum-
lating stocks rather than accept the prices Of
fered. Consumers seem to think that lighter
prices and an increased supply are assured facts.
Butth is difference of feeling Jas regards
the future price of iron and the demand for
work. The orders for heavy forging, which
have bsen good until recently, have fallen Off In
this vicinity, and though the works are run
ming steadily without any reduction of hands,
there is no pressure upon them. The rolling
mills are driving day and night now, turning
out bar iron and spikes with orders enough on
hand to last some time. Some contractors are
slow to make figures for work much beyond the
present time, on account of an insecure feeling
as to the future price and supply of iron.
Whatever the condition of the iron interest is
in other parts OF the country, the homework
ers in Portland are fortunate in having plen-
ty of work ON hand at present. Boiler making
is brisk Quite number of small steamers
are building along the coast, mills that use
steam in their work as well as for motive
power, and the increase of the use of steam for
heating residences, all combined have filed
the work shops with industry, and the boiler
makers tell us that they have orders on hand
for considerable time ahead. There is just
now scarcity of frst-cass workmen, both
boiler makers and machinists, but uuskilled
labor is very abundant. The Portland compa-
ny has sufficient work on hand to keep their
entire fore Of 500 men employed for some time.
Besides the boilers and machinery for the new
steamer State of Maine, they are busy upon
large contract Of locomotives for the North
ern Pacific. Some Of these locomotive have
been shipped from New York for the Pacific
coast by sea but the destination OF the remain
der has been changed and twenty-four are to be
set up and run on their own wheels to st. Paul,
MINI. The company has also contracts for en-
gnes for the Maine Central, the Ogdensburg
and Lake Champlain, the Worcester and Nor
witch and the Bangor and Katahdin railroads.
A delivery of the last OF 40 freight cars for the
Portland & Rochester is now being made, and
workmen are engaged on an order for the
Rumford Falls and Buckfield road. The COM
pany is using of late iron from. the Katahdin
mines. These mines are turning out q char
coal iron Of great strength, and much of it is
used in the composition of car wheels. The
anthracite iron from the same mine is spoken
we'll off, and it is gratifying to know that our
own State is producing an article approved SO
highly by the best mechanics in the country.
Yesterday, the ocean steamship service be-
tween this port and Europe in connection with
the Grand Trunk Railway ended for the sea-
son. The voyages, thirty in number, have
been performed by the Allan and Dominion
Steamship Companies, the former making
eleven voyages to Liverpool and six to Glas-
gov, and the latter thirteen voyages to the
former port The first arrival was the Opta-
rio, Nov. 16, and the last clearance was the
Samaritan, May 4. We give arecapitplation Of
the outward voyages, with the dates OF clear
onca and tha valna of the carpoeS