The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-17

week Dy week, says Dun, III Is Iounu
possible by an increasing number of
concerns to revive production with a
general range Of prices the lowest ever
known, AS old stocks give out, orders
for repleaishment are frat for cheapsr
goods than nave before been chosen,
traders therein representing consumers
who are compelled or desire to live moro
cheSply. Than the quantities ordered are
80 much smaller than the industries
have been accustomed to supply, and so
far below the capacity OF works that
the competition drives prices in each
grade down to or below actual cost,
squeezing out profits and forcing down
wages. Yet the profits and the wages
are the fund from which future pur-
chsses for consumption must be made.
1t is under Ruch conditions that more
works are going into operation, many
with a doubt how long they may b.
able to opsrate. Thus the measure OF
resumption by works or hands or hours
Of labor is not u measure OF the revival
in business, either rs to gu nifty or
values Of goods distributed
Prices Of commodities are this week
on the whole the lowest Of which there
is any record. having declined ! per
cent. in March and averaging 11.8 per
cent. lower than year ago. Six more
iron furnaces have gone into blast this
month. in part because prices Of fin
ished products are sha ie lower, and
further contracts have thus been Sc
cured. Pittsburg gets the lions share,
aud has most OF its work in operation,
Rails are inactive and deliveries every =
where are tho lowest for many years
Cheapness OF material and labor stim-
ulates the erection Of many buildings,
both east and west. Pig iron does not
change in price, bus sales are some
what more easy,
The volume of business represented
by all clearings this week Is 81 per
cent less than IL year ago, ami At ali
cities, outside New York. Ola per
cent. less, against ia per cent. last
week. Railroad earnings make u bst-
ter comparison, falling but 1915 per
cent. below last years for the first
week Of March against lG 7 per Gen..
in February; but the gaia is in part
because trunk lines have cut rates and
secured, for the first week in a long
time, q larger east bound movement
than was recorded year ago. The
west-hound movement is also larger 10
dry goods and groceries. Railway
stocks have been remarkably steady,
and havo slightly advanced the past
week
Monetary conditions have been grow
ing more favorable, though 1t is i'm
possible to say how far they may Gt
changed by the passage of the seig
niorage bill. The treasury has beer
improving its condition, for while
customs revenue this month has beer
As per cent less than last year, there
is some recent increase in internal
revenue through removal of spirit,
from bond to avoid~>a higher tax.
There ia no demand for commercial
loans Exports Of products ara 40 pei
cent above and imports 39 below las
years for the month thuI tar. Failures
for the weak is 2Gi in the Unitsd State:
against 1870 last yoar, and 5j in Canada
against 81 last year. TIE absence of
important embarrassment is still mos
encouraging.
A careful investigation Of the opera
tions of mills aud glass houses in the
Pittsburg region. show about Is pei
cant Of the operatives working and no
many Of the remaining % per cent ar,
dependent upon public charity. Many
Of the iron, steel and glass workers are
In such circumstances that they coulC
live comfortably Ia idlenesS for ssvera
years without assistance from an
source. Within the past ten days thcr,
have been frequent notices Of resumD
ton of work ut various industrial IS
tablishments In tho Pittsburg district
and other indications are that genera
improvement has set in.
Independent coll operators tell tn
Philadelphia Times that thers has besl
q drop In coal prices, due to the warn
weather. The decline has bssn on dis
count Of spring prices, which will b
fixed on the Goth instant. The dsman
for broken and egg sizes is better tina
that for stove and chestnut, owing t
the fact that thsre is not sufficient I
meet the demand for pa and buck
wheat sizes. The trade is in waitin
condition and with the Off hjial estab
lishment OF lower basis cOnsiderabl
business is expected to result Price
at New York are quoted as follow.
Broken, SO 40 to SO 90; egg, SO so I
SO GO; stove. 80 75 to 81; chestnu;, So. 7
to $4
MINOR INDUSTRIAL NoTEs
Orders have been booked whereby Il
Bethlehem Iron company's steel mill wi
continue running day and night until IL
end Of the mouth.
The coal operators Of the America
Georges Greek, Consolidation. New Cel
trial. Maryland, Barton, Franklin al
other mines In the Cumberland, Nd
region will meet in Philadelphia today
| l,N tn 30 fn. hn