The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-03-28
State OfTrade.

ITdu0 uuTlHS lH6 Weeks anu from al |
most all the large cities word is tele-
graphed that the season in business |
circles is backward. The shipments
of dry goods from Boston and New |
York are about as heavy as one week |
ago, but takings are no larger. JOB |
bers in dry goods continue to m0nop-
olize the business reported, and una
kers' agents await the depletion of
stocks in second hands. Collectors
in general lines, which were better
during the early part of the mont
have fallen away.
At Philadelphia leading merchants
report no rush of business. AT BCs-
ton the lingering winter weather re-
tards trade, and at Cincinnati trace
drags. though there is no tendency
to lower prices. There is some disses
pointment at Chicago owing to tie
lack of increasing activity, and at
Cleveland the delay in seasonalle
traffic is attributed to the weather. Al
the larger southern cities there is a
moderately active trade, except at
New Orleans, where it continues-off
a hand-to-hand to mouth character
The general Industrial situation has
improved to the extent that the stri-
kers on the Gould system of railways
have gained their point and returned
! to work,
BrddStreet'S advices from southern
Indiana are that the loss in wheat
from decreased acreage and other
causes will be from 10 to 20 per cent.
The worst prospect is reported from
Kansas, where our advices are based
on extended injury, point to one
third less acreage and serious damage
in the autumn-sown crop from other
causes. Seeding of spring wheat has
been begun at many points in south
ern and some in northern Minnesota
and Dakota. The total acreage there
! is believed to be stationary or slight
ly decreased. In the southern portion
of the region specified there is some
diversification of crops, flax being
largely sown. In the north the acre
age to wheat is somewhat larger in
expectation Of a smaller total crop
this year. While it is possible that
reports of decreased wheat acreage
and damage to the winter crop may
have been exaggerated, it is quite GER
tain that the autumn.sow wheat has
been injured by various causes and
that there has been less of it planted.
There is little change in iron and
steel. Leading rail mills have bid
S26 per ton on iron contracts and have
been underhid. Not more than 5000
tons of the $4,000 tons orders report
ed to be in the New York market
are considered desirable on account of
the financial condition of the would
be buyers. Prices of steel rails are
lower than ever before,
Boston, Morch 2l.-The advertiser
in its week ~ review of the wool mar
ket says: The market has been easy
in tone, particularly for Ohio and
Michigan fleeces, which have been
pressed for sale, so that transactions
in Ohio fieeces have been larger than
for several weeks. There has been a
marked disposition on the part of
dealers not to let an opportunity go
by to sell wool. and at the same time
manufacturers have been less dispos-
ed to make the offers than they did
week ago.
A leading feature of the market
has been the increased demand for
medium woods. A great many wOr.
sted mills are in the market, but they
buy with extreme caution and are
extremely unwilling to pay the pri-
ces of two weeks ago. For an extra
lot of No. combing 35(936c might
be obtained, but 3O(035c is the range
for most lots. We report one sale of
fine delaine at 37c but that is now ex.
treme, and 35G036c form the selling
prices for most lots. Some delaine is
held at SIC and Csc. Unwashed woods
are generally cheap, and good lots are
in fair demand. There is fair in
quiry for the better grades of pulled
woods, but manufacturers want to
buy at low prices. and are more than
ever disinclined to pay full prices.
In general, there is not the anxiety
concerning the financial standing of
manufacturers that there was a year
ago, and the tone in money matters
is satisfactory. Manufacturers on
their side complain strongly that
there is great pressure upon their
agents to give more time; that claims
are numerous, and orders are fire.
quently countermanded.
Our Washington Letter.
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