Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1889-03-25
REVIEW OF TRADE.

Business Improving Slowly-Low Cop.
per has Come to Stay-Collectious
Still Slow-Prices Moving Toward q
Lower Level.
R. e. Dun & Co.'S Review of Trade
for the week ending March 16: "The
past week has been free from exciting
events, and the news has been mostly
negative. War with Germany has
not begun at Apia, the copper syudi-
cate has not been suddenly recon.
structed, the March report of the
Agricultural Department does not
foreshadow a famine in wheat. The
new administration has not suddenly
disturbed the finances, and the consent
of Commissioner Walker to serve as
Executive of the Inter State Associ.
alton has not lifted prices of stocks.
Business is still comparatively quiet,
but slowly improving, and the great
strike of weavers at Fall River is not
expected to last long enough to dis
turb trade.
"The great fall in the price of cop.
per, from about ESQ to ESQ per ton at
London, appears to have come to
stay. Liquidation is confessed ne.
cessity at Paris, and consumers in this
country are looking for much lower
prices when contracts run out in June.
While Boston stocks have declined
severely, there are no signs of dis
turbance there, and rates for money
are comparatively easy. Prices a.
present are nearly nominal, with
scarcely any trading. Tin declined a
little and lead was weaker.
"The Government report, showing
liz million bushels of wheat in farm
ers' hands, is regarded by operators
as an argument for lower prices.
With the visible supply 81 million
bushels, there is thus in sight about
81 million bushels more than will be
required for food and seed until July
LIST, and there is besides a large stock
on the Pacific Coast, in country ele
vators and in the hands Of traders,
not included in the visible supply,
and probably more than the ordinary
stock of flour on hand, the winter
having been open. .
"The stock market has been weak,
and prices have declined an average
of 81 per share. With considerable
selling by foreigners, perhaps ocoa-
stoned in part by fears of disturbance
at Paris, there was increased disheart:,
eminent as to railroad prospects. The
consent of Commissioners Walker to
manage the Interstate Association
does not outweigh the fact that rates
are again being cut, and part OF the
roads deemed essential to the success
of the plan have not yet sssented.
The traffic returns continue fairly
ahead of last years, however, and the
root of the difficulty is still dissatis.
faction of investors with the manner
in which corporations have been man.
aged. While foreign exchange is a
shade higher, no large demand for
money yet comes from abroad, and
the official statements show that ex-
ports of cotton, breadstuffs, provis-
ions, cattle and oil exceeded in Feb.
ruary those of last year by 7 per cent,
amounting to $42,S71,057. For the
first half of March the exports from
New York show an increase of 22.7
per cent, while imports for the first
week gained only 8 per cent.
1.-THE reports from the interior this
week almost uniformly indicate some
improvement in business, though the
complaint of slow collections is about
as general as before. At Philadelphia
the caution of dry goods buyers, the
scanty purchases of wool by spinners,
the hesitation of iron consumers, are
especially noted, but there is improve.
ment in leather, liquors, groceries and
cattle. Money at all interior markets
remains in ample supply, while al
Milwaukee, Detroit, and few minor
points improvement in the demand
is observed. The Treasury has taken
in during the week only 100000