Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-08-22

good, and as recent improvement in
business has been based almost en-
tirely upon confidence in a large
yield, the change is Of some conse
queace. Corn still promises best OF
the large crops, but is late and in
more than the usual danger from
possible frosts; some injury in Kan
sss from drought has been reported,
bat later telegraphic advices tell OF
rsins and Improvement. Cotton has
not improved, and in Texas, where
the recent outlook was very salts
factory, many complaints Of drought
are heard. Our special crop reports
for the Northwest show that spring
wheat has been blightcd by hot
winds or damaged by rust or bugs
in many quarters, so that as full a
yield AS was expected is no longer
possible. About Albert Lea and
st. Cloud, Minnesota, not over half
= crop is now expected; in some
parts of Dakota the injury is con-
siderable, and the prospect is poorer
in parts of Wisconsin. But the re-
ports are very favorable rs to corn,
and the injury to oats in some locali-
ties docs not seem to require i'm
portant changes in estimates.
Foreign advices, indicating defic-
lent crops Of wheat in Europe, have
helped to support the market here;
but actual exports do not answer
expectations, and prices have de-
clined half cent for the week.
Corn is unchanged, and oats / cent
lower; hogs are Is and lard I cents
per 100 lbs. higher. Cotton has adj
vanced a quarter, and oil A. cents.
The speculative markets have not
been especially active, but sales Of
wheat have reached As million bush.
els here. In sugar an active de-
mand for refined has lifted prices an
eighth, while raw is unchanged.
Wool grows stronger in the country,
farmers acting quite generally on
the belief that there will be no
change in the tariff this year. Cop
per is dull, tin stronger, and lead
weak, with scanty demand. Rubber
is also weak, at G7 for Para fine.
The general average Of prices. which
fell about l per cent. u week ago, has
changed scarcely at all since that
time, and is now II per cent. above
the level Of July lst.
Trade reports from nearly all in
terror points are full of condolences,
and at many the actual improvem. nj
already noticed still continues. At
Cleveland the lumber and coal trades
are better, but iron ore is dull; at
Pittsburg there is less activity in
iron, but prices are steady, and 1887
out of l2,O6l coke ovens in the
Connelsville district are at work,
producing 93,723 tons weekly at
about 81 per ton. The anthracite
and bituminous coal trades are also
strong. The failure Of clothing
house at Minneapolis is announced,
but with an increase in orders for
merchandise there and at st. Paul,
notwithstanding the damage to wheat
and oats. Among the new develop
ments Of interest is the rapid growth
of the lumber business in Texas,
where large sums have been invested,
and the mills are pushed to theil
full capacity, supplying demands
from Kansas, Missouri and Western
States generally.
There is no complaint of monetary
scarcity, though at some points Il
distinct improvement in the demand
is noted, and collections improve a
little at Cleveland and Milwaukee,
though slow in Minnesota. The
superabundance here has reduced
rates to per cent. on call, and the
Treasury has just purchased an
other million of bonds, but prior to
that had taken IN for the week 500,
600 more than it had paid out. The
course Of foreign exchange, and OF
the stock market as we'll. indicates
that foreign capital is still coming
hither, and the demand for invest
mcnt securities has left many deal
ers quite bare Of bonds.
If the iron market is a reliable
barometer of business, its latest in.
dications are rather favorable. Some
stitfening in prices appears, though
there is no improvement in bar iron
or steel rails. Numerous announce.
ments of new works about to be
established, or of furnaces about to
resume operations, show that con
fidencc in the future is increasing.