St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-17
REVIEW OF THE BUSY WEEK
THE LOWEST PRICES FOR coMM0Df-
TIES EYER RECORDED.
THE VOLUME OF BUSINESS
Represented by all CIearings Is
81 Per Cent Less Than a Year
Ago - West.Bound Movement
Is Large in Dry Goods and
Groceries - Speculation in
Products Reported Dull.

NEW YORK, March 16-R. G. Dun &
Co.'s weekly trade review says: Prices
of commodities are this week on the
whole the lowest of which there is any
record, having declined Is per cent in
March and averaging Ills per cent
lower than year ago,So that more than
third Of the decrease in volume of all
payments Is due to decline in prices
of things consumed. Six more iron fur
naceS have gone into blast this month,
IN part because prices of finished prod
duets are shade lower, and further
contracts have thus been secured.
PittSburg gets the lions share, and has
most of its works in operation, cheaper
freights having helped this work, with
lower wages and coke and contracts for
Mesaba ore at 1925.
The Illinois Steel works are about to
resume in part, having secured orders
for rails, but at the East rails are inact-
i've, aud deliveries every where are the
lowest for many years. Cheapness of
material and labor stimulates the orec-
ton of many buildings both East and
West. In wOmen's dress goods, 1t is
judged from sales of wool. the business
is about three-fourths of the usual
magnitude, serges being In better de-
mand, but in mems goods not more than
quarter of the usual orders for fall
trade have yet been received. The de-
mand is so large that the sales of wool
will exceed last year, 4.351. 700 pounds
for the week against 8, 994, 500. and for the
month thus far the increase has been
about ], 10000 pounds, though In Feb
uary the decrease was 25.6 per cent.
Cottons are. generally steady, though
good results have followed small adj
vance in Lancaster ginghams. and fur
Their concessions in brown goods are rs-
fused. But stocks of print cloths are
the largest in March since 1885. The
volume of business represented by all
clearings this week is 31.2 per cent less
than year ago. and all cities outside
New York 21.4 per cent less, against
ia per cent last week. Railroads make
better comparison, falling but 1916 per
cent below last year for the first week
OF March, against 1871 per cent in Feb
ruary, but the gam in part was because
the trunk lines have cut rates and Sc
cured, Tor the nrSCWeek IN long time,
a larger east-bound movement than was
recorded year ago. The west bound
movement is also large in dry goods and
groceries. Speculation in products is
somewhat tame, though PORK and lard
have declined sharply. while corn is held
steadily, with receipts 40 per cent larger
than year ago. Wheat has been
depressed by the department report
tina. ia, 100000 bushels remain in farm
ers' hands on March 3. indicating very
great errors III estimates of WELD or else
a heavy decrease in consumption. Cot
ton has declined a shade, and estimates
of the crop are about 100000 bales in
place of 5000, 900 reported not long ago.
Failures thus far reported only 81, 207.-
1885, OF which SSl6. 2S4 were of manufact-
uring and 81 .l6l. 27O of trading concerns.
Owing to large deferred Statements
received too late for use last week, the
aggregate of liabilities for February
has been raised to 81. S95.650. The
number Of failures this week is 264 i'll
the United States against 1919 last year.
and 80 in Canada afTainst 30 last wear.
The absence uf important embarrass-
ments is still most encouraging.