Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-05-03
DuN.s TRADE REVIEW.

y
|
| The General Business Of the Country
visibly Affected BY the Prevailing
Strikes and the Movements of tho I'm
/ empioved-There 10. However, sHsns
| Improvement Noticeable.1wi Continued
| Decrease in tho Liabilities OF Failing
Firms-The Weeks Failures, Etc.
/ New York, April 2S.-R. G. Dun q
Co. IS weekly review of trade. issued to-
| day, says:
| When accounts OF great strikes and labor
| disturbances crowd all newspapers, 1t Is loio
| to look for much improvement In business.
| The bftuminous coal miners quit work iass
Saturday in larger numbers than wasexpecteu.
and the coke workers at once renewed. VIII
greater unanimity, the struggle recently I'M
| successful While these great bodies OF men.
| besides the thousands who were on striRe
| in the building trades. In silk. WOODEN
| and cotton mills, in Alabama iron works, ana
| on western railroads, are refusing to WORK.
! there are other thousands marching to WASH
| ington. who claim that they seek work in vain,
and the government must give relief Botn
classes are engaged in making business worse
because it was bad already. That every week
of idleness for so many men must apprecfably
lessen the aggregate power to purchase prod-
ucts of labor is evident But in spite OF all, Inn
provement still appears
The iron and steel works in regions where
bituminous coal or coke Is use1 as fuel, may
be seriously interrupted IL the struggle is mucn
prolonged, but the immediate effect Is TO give
o better look to prices OF some products IN
those regions. While eastern works reel
somewhat larger demand, southern frefghtS
to New York being so cents lower, pig iron
from Alabama is offered at sl1.5O. and rails
OF light section are Sold it is stated. below $o
at the mill.
While at Chicago business halts and bar iron
is down to Ic, though plates and beams are
slightly stronger, barbed wire at Pittsburgh 10
quoted at q. 10 and wide rods at $s3 80. though
billets and Bessemer iron are stronger. Phiia-
delphia notes increased demand, ana In that
region about two-thirds OF the working force
is employed. The movement OF copper from
Montana is restricted by the Great Northern
strike: while tin. lead spelter and tin plates
are weak, with prices q shade lower.
A little more life is seen in the shoe trade at
Boston, with somewhat more demand for better
grades OF leather. though in large branches Of
the business only half to two-thirds OF the
working force is employed. Shipments OF
shoes from Boston for April are L. per cent.
less than last year.
Several large auction sales OF textile goods
have disturbed markets and brought remarka-
bly, low prices, for flannels and blankets, about
25 per cent below the previous quotations and
Is per cent below the previous sales. The
cancelling OF all orders for fancy worsteds by
the Washington MILL though attributed to a .
strike. increases the apprehension OF clothiers
that they may be unable to get executed the
long-delayed and scanty orders they have
given. Nothing like improvement IS seen in.
mems woolens, and 1t is between seasons in
dress goods. but there is more demand for in
grain carpets, and linen goods have been sold.
at concessions by some agents.
Sales Of won at the three chief markets were
5S41 65S pounds, against 1898 400 last year, and
prices OF some scarce kinds have advanced o
cent, but new wool is being taken at the low
est figures yet reported. Continual reports OF
changes in the tariff bill add to difficulties OF
producers and dealers.
Speculative markets are practtcing the phi
losophy of Mr.. Micawber, and are naturally
lower. The receipts of cotton from planta-
tions have been little less this week than q
year ago, exports have decreased more. and
the increasing pressure OF enormous stocks in
sight has driven down the price to ~ cents.
Western receipts of wheat have been only
1,136,179 bushels, against Ell 3s7 for the same
week last year. and Atlantic exports 041 1858
bushels, against 1,24S,53S last year. but tie
price has dropped cent. Corn is in active de-
mand and shade higher; pork. lard and coffee
shade lower. With continued business de-
preston and new crops drawing near. even the
unlimited supplies of idle men do not kindle
speculative operations.
The stock market has reached average
decline Of 50 cents per share and "a cents in
trust stocks although sugar was lifted to par
on stories Of another change in the tariff. The
strikes had much influence, and railway earn
ings for April thus far have been 1919 per cent.
smaller than last year. while the failure OF
trunk line presidents to agree was depressing.
little in volume.
Payments through oil clearinghouse were
204 per cent. smaller than for same week
a year ago. and outside New York 1873 per cent.
smaller, but prices of commodities, now aver
aging nearly IA per cent. lower than year ago,
account for one-half of the change. The vol
ume of foreign trade does not materially alter,
exports for the month being 10 per cent. larger
than last year, while imports at New York
have been Alt per cent. smaller. The decline
in customs receipts. indicating the decrease in
dutiable imports. is 40 per cent
No enlargement of commercial loans appears
and money continues to accumulate here,
though in smaller amount this week. This
state of facts clearly indicates the general de-
preston OF trade and industries. but domestic
exchanges have SO far changed that abatement
OF the flow OF money htther is expected. Only
81 zoe, 600 gold goes out this week. at present
accounts and there are no indications OF i'm.
portant foreign operations during the week In
American securities Considerable exchange
is being drawn on account of Americans about
to visit Europe as usual ut this season.
The decrease of liabili ties OF firms failing
still continues, and the aggregate reported for
the third week in April was only e ZOE. 49,, and
Tor the three weeks of April ID. 08S 58s OF which
$3.50. 1914 were of manufacturing, and S38Al ,0QS
Of trading concerns. The failures have been
equally divided as to sections, the east having
the larger number with liabilities of e. PIT 100,
the south g. 572 900 and the west 81. $4,000
The failures this week have been 1e0 in the,
United States. against gle last year, for the,
first time in many months showing q decrease:
and in Canada 20. against p last year. The.
list includes none OF great Importance.