Iron County register., 1893-03-30
COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS.


The Condition OF Trade Throushout the
Country rs Indicated by II. G. Dun q
Co.'s Weekly Review-Tne Volume OF
Business Well Maintained and Manu-
facturers Continue Busy-Money, While
Close at Some Points, is In Fair Supply
FOR Legitimate Demands-Business Fall
ures, Etc.
New YORK, March 25.-R. G. DUN &
Co. S weekly review of trade says:
The condition of trade is less altered than
might be expected in view Of the extraordinary
weather for the season, the scarcity of money
and other disturbing influences. The volume
OF trade Is remarkably well maintained. manu-
facturers are on the whole better employed,
with some increase of demand in Industries
where increase was most needed, and every in
oicatlon that people have not yet begun to
think of reducing purchases. Nor have money
uncertainties yet perceptibly affected the ac-
tivity OF manufacturers. The treasury has
been gaining gold in spite of exports Of $780,
600 this week and some exports expected but
In view OF the enormous excess of imports since
January 1t Is scarcely reasonable to hope that
further outgoes of gold are to be avoided. The
strfngency in money markets here and at some
other points is largely due to slow collections.
which appear to result rather from sew ere
weather than from any form Of commercial un-
soundness or inability to distribute products.
At Boston trade is conservative. but very
hopeful. Spring trade in dry goods opens WELL
and all mills are well employed. Shoes are
firm, tending upward; lumber in better demand,
and wool strong. with moderate sales. At Phil
adelphia money is close, with dull collections in
most departments. Iron Is in better demand
and wool very firm with more activity in dry
goods. Trade in paints has better outlook;
the demand for foreign tobacco increases, while
in other branches business is fair. At Pitts
burgh steel is in better demand, and ad-
vance in glass is talked OF. Trade in
shoes at Baltimore is better. and clothing
manufacturers running nearly to full capacity.
The shoe trade at Cincinnati exceeds last years
20 per cent. and a better dry goods trade is seen
with improved weather. At Cleveland general
trade is good, with large demand for structural
iron, but collections are slow. In spite of bad
weather trade at Detroit about equals last
years and at Indianapolis dry goods are active
and manufacturers busy. At Chicago general
trade Is good general collections fair except at
some western points, but money is in strong de-
mandand, partly because of bad roads receipts
OF many products declined, wool, corn and
dressed beef 60 per cent, hogs, So; cheese, IS;
cattle, "a; barley and seeds. 20 and oats IA per
cent. Receipts OF wheat are 25 per cent.
lower than last year and hides Is per cent.
larger. Weather retards trade at Milwaukee
and st. Paul. and collections are slow. AT St.
the market, though bad roads make groceries
dull Money is unchanged. with legitimate
demand, but there Is increased call for local in
vestments. Business at Kansas City is good,
and at Omaha trade is good in hardware and
groceries, and otherwise fair. St. Joseph re-
ports heavy trade. with improvement In some
lines. Business at Denver is fair and at Salt
Lake improving. At most southern points i'm
provement is seen, and especially at Nash
willie and Knoxville. though money Is
somewhat close. but at Louisville the
outlook is considered favorable. At Atlanta
collections are slow. and money is in light de-
mand, but at New Orleans trade is dull, with
sugar in good demand and large exports Of
wheat restricted by the lack of ocean tonnage.
Trade at Jacksonville Is fair. but at Charleston
dull. Though other iron is less firm at Phila-
delphia. with more pressure to sell. Bessemer is
fair and the demand for products of iron and
steel seems to increase. Nearly all works are
well supplied with orders. the structural de-
mand being especially large and sales of 1900
tons reported. Copper is slow at 112i cents for
lake. but tin has advanced to s21 by specu-
lation while sales of lead have been large
at 1890. Sales of wool are smaller. needs hav-
ing been supplied. but satisfactory conditions
in the manufacture and the dry-goods trade
continue. With very large increase over last
year in sales dress goods are now in favorable
condition, and blankets and sackings stronger.
The advance in carpets continues and trade in
knit goods is larger. The cottons are compare
lively inactive, but prints are very firm. Spec
ulatiOn fiuctuateS abSurdly with rumOrS about
the English strike. but the price is unchanged,
though stocks in sight exceed the probable de-
mand for the year. Wheat has declined III
cents, with sales of 16,OO00OO bushels, though
western receipts in four days are over 100000
bushels and exports only $1,000 bushels. Hogs
are slightly higher, though lard is lower. For
eign trade continues to show large adverse
balance, for exports at New York in three
weeks were S3 500 smaller than last year while
imports show larget increase. The heavy
excess of imports in February continued this
month makes the futue of money markets so far
uncertain that commercial undertakings for
the future are somewhat affected. Exports Of
800. 1000 gold have been ordered for Monday
and larger are expected next week, while pur-
chaseS on foreign account do not as yet indicate
reyiving confidence in American securities.
The business failures during the past seven
days number. for the United States. 217: Can
ada 26: total. 243 compared with go last
week. go the week previous to the last and 200
for the corresponding week OF last year.