Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-01-23
THE COMMERCIAL WORLD.
NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENT IN eUSI-
NESS SINCE THE COLD WEATHER.

New YORK, Jan. 1S.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'S Weekly Review of Trade says.
Important improvement in business is
noted wherever the recent change to
colder weather has been felt. Elsewhere
unreasonable weather is still the chief
complaint, but everywhere interruption
of business and manufacturing by the
prevailing sickness is observed and many
factories have been forced to close be-
cause so many of their employees were
unable to work At one or two eastern
points this interruption appears to be
passing away, but it is still widespread
and serious. To nearly all kinds OF
trade it means not only delay in produc-
ton or dealings. but some shrinkage in
the ability of great numbers to purchase
products. But in spite of this the vol
ume of trade is large. Eastbound ship
ments from Chicago last week were
13l, 793 tons, much the largest ever
known. The exports of provisions are
heavy, the lard movement last week
reaching IA, 5S2 ,S62 pounds.
The clearings of the banks last week
were not only the largest on record fol
that part of the year, but showed
An Increase Over Last Year
of 12 per cent outside of New York.
The weekly output of pig iron Jan. ]
was 11i,03 tons against 169, Isl tons
Dec. l and 154 1893 year ago. This i'm
plies a slight increase in production last
year over previous estimates. The sur
,,-;-;nor ;Doraoca in o,,t,,,,t hos la5 manu-
to wonder in what way the enormous
quantity now made can be consumed
and inquiries indicate that there is in
the aggregate some accumulation OF
stocks. 1t also appears that the market
for bar iron is somewhat unsettled, with
a tendency toward concessions, and
plate iron is less firm. Structural and
Sheet iron and nails are steady, but some
uneasiness is noticed in the market fol
steel rails. Unless consumption of fin
ished products is not only sustained but
expanded the output of pig iron can
hardly continue at the present rate.
The stagnation in anthracite coal is
aggravated. but although the trade is
narrow and limited numbers are report
ed idle, the weekly output exceeds the
output a pear ago by 10000 tons.
Prices are demoraliZed, and bituminous
coal, though very active, is easier.
1he Cotton Industry.
The cotton industry is disturbed only
by sickness; demand for good has slightly
improved. The heavier woolen goods
are seriously depressed by the unseason-
able weather. But there is marked re-
vival in the trade for domestic worsteds
and light goods, believed to be due to
the changes last year in treasury rulings,
now for the first time felt
The boot and shoe industry is largely
and the two textile manufactures some
what disturbed by labor controversies in
eastern states.
Reports from various quarters are, on
the whole, more favorable. Mild weather
has caused much depression, but wherever
colder weather has appeared there is
clear and quick recovery.
Collections are quite generally slow,
because of retarded distribution, but I'M
easiness is reported at only a few points.
All southern reports note active trade.
The money markets here and else
where show on the whole rather more
pressure, which the heavy business in
progress and the tardy collections ex-
plain.
Eos