Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-02-20

WEEKLY TRADE BULLETIN.
The Past Week a Reflection of It's Ere
decessor.


NEW YORK, Feb. 19.-R. G.. Dun s.
Co.'s, weekly review will say: 1t cannot
be said that business has changed for
better or worse during the past week.
Causes of recent dizziness and of depres-
sion in markets become more clearly visi-
Bile; severe weather, prolonged strikes,
and reaction from last years over-hope-
fitness being prominent. The effects of
speculation, based on hopes of foreign
war, are made plain by preliminary ac-
counts of January exports, shoving a
loss of f64 900 in breadstuffs, S4S, 600 in
cotton, $500, 0OU in provisions, and $780,
0Oo in oil, compared with January, 1887,
but Improvement is expected to appear in
minor items, and partial returns for Feb
ruary show a better movement. In any
case, exports do not sufficiently exceed
imports thus far this year to balance
interest and under-valuations, SO that
sales of new bonds, of which $40, 000, 900
have been issued and partly placed since
JAN !, appear to have brought in some
reinforcement of foreign capital. The
treasury has taken in $50, 600, 600 in ex-
cess of payments this week, but money is
in ample supply here, and at all in
terror points reporting. The mar
kets continue unusually steady.
Prices vary but little. The average
price of stocks has not changed half of |
per cent, since The year opened. The gen
eral average Of commodities is less than
an eighth per cont. lower than January l.,
the natural advance of the season in some
products being balanced by lower prices
In most of the commercial staples. The
shripkage in exports forces reaction
in wheat, 10, 900, coo bushels less having
gone out in seven months
this year than last year.
A general reduction in elevator rates is
EXPECTED to help trading, and to benefit
psTTba rod . stags neither
advanced nor declined, though hogs are
lower. Oil has declined l 10 cent, and
sugar from 1-S to Ia cent. The
operations Of the trust turn some to ia
vor lower duties. The recent increase IN
confidence in tea has been lost, and
coffee options are pressed for sale.
Butter is frmer for good grades, with no
change in cheese. The large exports of
cattle and beef IN January are note
worthy. The dry goods market shows
great strength in cottons, though prices
of many qualities are yet low
enough for | cent further advance. The
demand for wool still continues moder-
ate, though better than it was, and wool
Is firm, but buyers are still unusually
cautious. The consumption of pig iron
last year exceeded 6S, 900. 900 tons, and of
oil iron, domestic and foreign, over s1.-
900 200 tons. But the shrinkage
of 10000 weekly in the produc-
tion barely keeps prices steady, and
in bar iron account by a large western
establishment reflects the shrinkage In
demand. Prices are now 81. so lower than
a year agoi for pig, S6; for bar, So TO 81; for
plates and rails, $7. Added to the light
demand as a cause of weakness, there is
the statement that the committee on The
tariff bill will reduce duties oil ora to fifty
cents, on pig, to $3.50, and on rails, to
SILL. The ConnelsVille Coke works
shipped but 90, 900 tons in January.
against 900, 600 tons in January last year.
Iron manufacture wars, and the cessation
OF house building in many cities, still
affect the demand. Railroad earnings
for January show an increase but slight
~ greater than the increase in mileage.
1t is represented that western roads are
losing 81 a mile per month through the
war OF rates, but this is on comparison
OF increased earnings which the advance
OF rates has secured for the past nine
months. Managers meet this week to
attempt a settlement, but little hope is
expressed. No compact can entire
ly remove the consequences of
building two roads where there
Is only traffic enough for one.
AT st. Louis, Kansas City, and some
other western towns low rates have
caused a considerable increase in BUSH
ness activity, but at most points trade is
reported quiet or dull, with unfayorable
weather and -inlprsctieable roads COM
monty assigned as the cause throughout
the west and southwest. Business fail
ures during the last seven days number
for the United States 1886, Canada 3S;
total 273; compared with 287 for the same
week last year.