St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-21
TRADE Is PAHSALYZED.
Unreasonable Weather Causes
IncPeasin" Trouble.

NEW YORK, Dec. 20.--R. G. Dun d Co.'S
weekly review of trade will say: Mild wealth
er causes increasing trouble. Perhaps the
coal trade suffers most; many eollieries in
Pennsylvania have stopped, throwing over
1903 men out of employment, and great suf-
fering results. The dry goods and boot and
shoe trades are much affected, and in some
quarters even the holiday trade Is restricted
by the unreasonable weather. The bad state
of the country roads cuts off much trading
and renders many retail dealers unable 10
meet their obligations. Collections are slow.
AT Philadelphia unfortunate embarrassmentS
i'll the clothing trade are feared unless winter
weather comes. In some Southern states
trede is seriously affected for the time by the
operation of farmers alliances, which enlist
farmers in cooperative trading, and absorb
money which might otherwise go to settle
Indebtedness with merchants. The results
in some localities almost paralyZe trade, but
the general tenor of reports is by no means
unfavOrable. The volume OF trade continues
larger than year ago. Cle3rings outside of
New York are still about 10 per cent larger
than last year, and railroad earnings show
handsome increase. The iron business seems
for the moment shade less promising. Re
cent sales of 6n, 600 tons of Bessemer pig at
S21.50 are supposed TO have supplied needs
of large concerns, and with additional fur
naces turned to production of this kind OF
iron. the future of prices is less clear. Rails
are quiet. and it is believed that orders have
been booked already for 100000 tons, de-
liverable next year. The actual output
this o,yg year including ng en- rails rails
is Deey asa 70 De 4op par ro 'I ms
been advanced to cents by the association.
but is quiet; plate and structural iron are
firm. Asa surprising reversal OF the usual
order of things it is noted that an English
order for 100 % tons of pig iron has been re-
ceived with margin of 81 per ton deposited.
and an English house has asked prices on
65,GO0 feetfof wrought iron pipe, which is
said to be selling at / I cents net, against
S.63 cents net in this country. The exports
in November appear to have exceeded those
Of last year by nearly or quite S30.ODO, 900.
But since Dec. l the export trade has been
little smaller. Money is still close here at 6
per cent on call. comparatively easy at
Cleveland, but with liberal demand at Chi
cago: close at Kansas City, but in sufficient
supply for legitimate business at Western
and Southern points generally. The
treasury has made heavy disbursements.
so that it holds S., 200. 900 less cash
than week ago. ana foreign exchange has
advanced an eighth during the week. The
general level of prices have scarcely changed.
The speculative markets he's been compare
lively dull. Only 9.10O,O00 bushels of
wheat have been sold here, the price ad-
has been less than would naturally follow
the close of navigation. Sales of corn have
been 5,5h00 600 bu., with a fractional de-
cline, but oats are shade stronger. Pork
has dropped 75c Der barrel. and lard q shade:
oil is half cent lower, with sales of only
1,OOO,O 900 bbls for the week, and coffee 2ac
lower with sales of 33l 900 bags. Though
receipts and Explores OF cotton both fail
little below those of The corresponding
week last year, the price is unchanged. In
the stock market dizziness and depression
have been followed by q stronger tone. The
business failures mum Der 342. For the cor
responding week of last year the figures were
311.