The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-03-20
TRADE REVIEW.
Remarkable Decrease in the Output OF
Pig Iron Attributed Mostly to
Temporary Causes. Consul
mers Look for Still
Lower Prices.
THE SOUTH MPRovIN

NEW YoRK, March lS.-R. G. DUNE Co. s
weekly review Of trade says:
The weekly output of all furnaces in
blast March l, was but 134, 1926 tons,
against l46,050 Feb. J., q decrease of II
per cent in the month SO great 4 decline
would be sign of impending disaster, if
it were not properly attributable, in a
measure, to temporary causes. The be-
lief that the coke strike will soon end in
cheaper supplies of fuel, while the rail-
roads west of Pitsburg have just agreed
to reduce their charges, prompts consul
mers to expect lower prices soon, though
the market here has better tone. North
ern No. is quoted as low as SIT, and
Southern at $685.. a rail combination
has at last been formed but the demand
is small. Bar iron is weak, but in struct-
ural there is more activity.
The prospects in building trades is rather
dull here, but at other cities, particularly
in the West. it is remarkably bright with
the single condition that threatened labor
troubles do not interfere.
The wool manufacture is doing remark
ably well, though prices of goods do not
advance. Mills engaged on dress goods
and knit goods are especially active, and
worsted works are on full time with fair
prices.
In boots and shoes the shops are fairly
employed and some new works are going
up, but the speculative furry in hides and
leather has made business less satisfac-
tory.
THE SOUTH.
Reports from other cities are fairly ia
vorable Those from the South are a
shade brighter, because cotton has recov-
cred slightly in prices. Baltimore reports
trade ahead of last year. New Orleans
finds cotton receipts moderate, sugar dull
and rice firm. Savannah deems the pros
pect very bright and at Atlanta better
price in cotton helps At Memphis the
depression continues and at Louisville
trade is slow At the South little is said
of collections, but throughout the West
complaints of slow collections grow more
frequent and the money markets, though
now here positively stringent, are gener-
ally firm with more active demand.
The volomc of business continues larger
but the range of prices, farm produce in
Guided, is over ten per cent higher, and
has advanced l x per cent during the
past week. Wheat rose 456 cents but
reacted about cent to-day, the sales for
the week being 56 000,0 bushels Con-
sidering that the Western receipts steadily
exceed last year, while reports of foreign
scarcity are not sustained by the exports,
which still fall far behind last years,
speculation is ventursomc. Corn has ad-
vanccd and Gotten has risen an eighth on
sales of 600, 900 bales, but all the specula-
tive markets have to rcccde with the pos
sibility of scarce money before long, as
the drain from this city to the interior
continues.
In the stock market foreign alarms came
when the holders were wearied by the abb
sence Of the public support which was ex-
pected after Congress adjourned, and by
the continuance of controversies which it
was hoped were settled weeks ago. But
the decline has only pulled back prices to
about the level of January first, and while
the market is very dull, it shows no symp-
toms of alarm of special weakness.
The failures for the week number 239
For the corresponding week of last year
the figure was 2l1.