The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-04-25
State of Trade.

Spring trade Is declared to De Tort
night late, even where the demand is
most active. The dry goods trade
is moderately active from jobbers'
hands, but manufacturers agents re-
port it dull. Boston adviCes report
prices in some lines of cotton goods as
low as ever before, and the outlook for
improvement is uncertain. Season.
able fabrics are in best demand. The
four weeks stoppage of production of
Fall River print cloth mills prior to
July covers hirty-four factories and
affects II, 225 employees, earning S67,-
900 weekly. The week y production
of those mills is l36, 800 pieces. Stocks
will be reduced about 1000 pieces.
Some Rhode Island mills will also
stop. The volume Of sales of wool at
Eastern markets has been a fair aver
age, but prices are no better. Manu-
facturers refuse to stock up in ad vance
of early requirements.
The industrial situation is practi-
cally unchanged except for the strike
of 1900 flax spinners at Paterson,
n. j.
The iron and steel trades are unim-
proved. There is no material increase
in the demand for pig-iron, and the
competition between the mills rem
ders nominal quotations subject to
reduction. Orders for steel rails are
light and prices are as low as ever.
The excessively cold weather DUR
ing February and March benefited
the anthracite coal trade, and stocks
have been reduced 60 percent. But
trade at present is only moderate.
Grocery staples have been quiet.
Tea is lower and coffee easier. Others
are nominal. Dairy products have
moved in large volume both for home
and for export.
There were 1856 failures in the Uni
ted States during the last week, as
compared with ia in the preceding
week and with 155, 100 and Sc re-
spectively in the corresponding weeks
of 1884, 1888 and 1882. About 81 per
cent. were those of small traders
whose capital was less than $4,000.
Canada had nineteen-a decrease of
seven.
BOsTON, April 1S.-The AdcertiSer
in its weekly review of the wool mar
ket says: The market has been quite
active; prices are for most descrip-
tons fairly steady, but there is dis
position among dealers to reduce
their stock. The tone on the whole
is healthy, as the good demand and
the increased inquiry come from a
more active mprOvement in wooden
goods and more orders to manufac-
turers, Manufacturers have shown
more interest on the market than for
some time. They have been in the
market in much larger number than
usual, and great many sample bags
have been taken. which should bring
larger sales later. The war excite
ment has served as topic of interest
and discussion, but it is not thought
clothing woods could be effected.
Early in the week in London desir-
able woods declined I'd, but this has
since been recovered, and is not likely
to reoccur, as the supply there is very
light. The only direct effect of any
war would be in carpet woods, of
which large supplies come from Rus
STA.
PITTsBURG, April 18.-The Amer
lean Manufacturer says: AS the
cause of present depression in the
iron trade is primarily the refusal or
inability of railroads, who are the
great consumers of iron, to purchase,
it is evident that there can be no re-
vival in the iron trade until this con-
dition of things shall change. For
nearly four years no great undertake
ing, involving the large consumption
of iron, has been entered upon. En-
terprises inaugurated before haye
been carried on, many of them to
completion, though few are still in
progress, but as one after another of
these enterprises have been completed
they, of course, have gone ont of the
market as consumers of iron, confin-
ing purchases to the few enterprises
remaining uncompleted, and to the
demand for renewals and repairs.
OF course there are always some mi
nor enterprises in progress and I'M
dertaken from time to time that in
the aggregate consume considerable
iron, and to these and repairs
and renewals must we look for the
running of the mills at the present
time. The return of prosperity,
however, can only come with the
undertaking ofimportant enterprises