Wichita eagle., 1889-03-16
q FAIR MARKET.
The Trade Situation Quiet-Prices Little
Chenged Generally.

NEW York, March l5.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'S weekly review of trade says: The
great fall in the yrice of copper from about
$50 to ESQ per ton ut London appears to
have come to stay. Liquidation:was a con-
fessed necessity 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 disturbance
there and rates for money are correspond
lngly easy. Prices at present
are nearly nominal. with scarcely
any trading. Tin declined a little and
lead was weaker. The monty report of
Iron furnaces in blast. contrary to general
expectation, shows a slight increase in
February, the output reaching 1915 tons
weekly March l, against about los. 500 last
year. The market for bar iron is pro-
nounced the poorest for many years. The
demand for car building and skelp iron
has fallen off to almost nothing and while
there is more demand for plate iron and
movement of pipe is fair for the season.
structural iron is gloomy. Nails show no
improvement and are demoralized and
steel rails are quoted at ST so. Sales to
March II have been 500, $50 tons and deliv-
cries l42, S7.tons and makers decided not to
increase the allotment.
The government report showing liz. 000,-
boo bushels of wheat in farmers hands is
regarded by operators as an argument for
lower prices. With the visible supply.
B2,090,000 bushels, there is thus in sight
about 81 ,OO0.0 600 bushels more than Will be
required for food and seed until July l,
and there is besides a large stock on the
Pacific coast, in country elevators 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, when it is con-
sidered that the ordinary stock of flour
would probably exceed S0,00o.0 goo bushels
of wheat and that last years exports of
wheat and flour March l to July cover
bat 2S,oo0,000 bushels. the prospect of
scarcity seems remote The price has
fallen cents for the week with sales Of
$4,000, 600 bushels here. Corn is 1c lower
and oats !. c.
Pork products are unchanged.
No change appears in coffee and but a
fraction in oil.
The stock market has been weak and
prices have declined an average of 81 Der
share with considerable selling bv foreign
ers, perhaps occasioned in part by fears of
disturbance at Paris.
There was increased disheartment as to
railroad prospects. The traffic returns
continue fairly ahead of last years how
ever, and the root of difficulty is still dis
satisfaction of investors with the man.
ner in which corporations have been man
aged.
The reports from the interior this week
almost uniformly indicate some improve
ment In business. though the complaint OF
slow collections is about as general as be-
fore. There Is Improvement in leather,
liquors, groceries and cattle
Money at all interior markets remains
in ample supply, while at Milwaukee. De
troit and few minor points improvement
in demand is observed.
The treasury has taken in during the
week only S40J0o0 more than it has paid
out. On the whole, while the improve
ment in trade is slow and narrow il is
clearly helped by the failure of wheat and
copper speculations and by the movement