Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-03-15
DuN's TRADE REVIEW.


Evidences of Present Improvements Null
tiply But without Much Condolences in
the Future-Greater Activity Noted
Among the Producing Industries to Re-
plenish Reduced Stocks-The Weeks
Failures Of Small Moment.
New YORK, March 10.-R. g. Dun q
Co. S weekly review of trade. issued to-
day, says:
Evidences OF present Improvement In bust.
ness multiply, but confidence In future I'M
provement does not seem to increase. There
is more business and a larger production oy
industries. for the season has arrived when
greater activity is necessary IL dealers Stocks
are to be replenfshed, and those VINO can
not make calculations beyond few months
are the more anxious to crowd as mucn
trade as they safely can into these months Ii
some branches Of distribution. however there
are indications of diminishing demand 1or
goods and the evident preference to medium
and low-priced articles. with the known re-
duction in wages and family expenditures,
lead many to feel somewhat less conhdent tna'
business will soon recover its former voiume.
The undertakings beyond a short time are not
made with great freedom, and in spite OF .
larger demand the prices OF manufactured
goods tend downward.
The most distinct gain is in iron and steel
The output OF pig iron March was 2lO 100
tons. having increased 10 per cent. during the
month, although it is still 37.s per cent. less
than year ago. It is also stated that some
other furnaces have gone into blast since
March !. and that unsold stocks have made
practically no increase in February, so that
the actual consumption in all branches OF manu-
featuring is at least 10 per cent. greater tnan
in November, December or January. Yet
prices are lower. steel billets 815.25 at Pitts
burgh. and plates Sis at Philadelphia is the
lowest ever known. Rates in bar iron are nat.
and with a larger production of coke, con-
a a q n
is lower with a fall at London. being quoted
here at 1875 cents, and copper does not i'm
prove, though lead is slightly higher.
Shipments of boots and shoes from the east
are 14.S per cent. smaller than a year ago. the
same week, and purchases are still mainly OF
medium or lOw-priced goods.
In textile manufactures and dry goods there
are increased activity and replenishment OF
stocks, as is natural at this season. But the
demand thus far falls much short of expecta-
tions, and its character indicates great econ
omy In consumption. A reduction In Wam-
sutta sheetings and in Gamers fancy prints to
~ cents indicates the judgment OF the
leading concerns that the markets re-
Quire more stimulation than usual. In
woolens. also. manufacturers are increasing
production, mainly in tentative way, or
on orders which are little more than suf-
ficient to test the market. But the sales Of
wool at the three chief markets for the week
have been only IL per cent. less than for the
provement, in part due to the fact that the
mills having any orders are buying at once
what wool they expect to need for months to
come. 2 ...
Speculation has been much. more active, II
not more healthy. The sudden fall in sugar
certificates has not tended to impart conf
dence to the stock market, and while the aver
age of railroad stocks is 90 cents share
higher, and of trusts 81 per share higher for
the week, all movements have been based
M in1u IN rann AN 1ncyic Haiti hiof
varied from hour to hour.
Railroad earnings in the fourth week of
February were IA per cent. less than last year,
against 1875 for the third week and 1872 for the
month thus far. the decrease on trunk and
eastern lines being nearly 10 per cent; on
southern. 1874; southwestern, 1874: grangers.
3d. other western, q. !, and Pacific roads. 24.4
per cent 1t Is encouraging that net earnings
in January were better than for some months.
but east-bound shipments from Chicago for
three weeks are still 1874 per cent less than
last year.
Breadstuns and oils have been stronger, pro-
visions weaker and cotton hesitates.
The volume of domestic trade show nby clear
ings decreases for the week only IA per cent
outside New York. and 3t9 per cent. here. COM
pared with last year. In foreign trade changes
are also for the better, exports having been
large, and for four weeks IA per cent larger
than last year. while the decrease in imports
for February was 3. per cent. Thus, customs
revenue does NOT improve ana Tor the week
has been 81 per cent. less than last year. the de-
crease in internal revenue being 16 per cent
Money is weak. with further decrease in the
demand for commercial loans
Failures are growing less important and
somewhat fewer also. For the week ending
March 10 the liabilities thus far reported were
only 81. 937 ,s32, and for four weeks of February
el4 1856 O9l, OF which So 1872 615 were OF manufac-
lures and 81. 697. l27 of trading concerns
The failures during the past week num-
bered, in the United States, 24S. against 1893
last year; and in Canada 81, against 81 last year.
Scarcely single one is Of importance. and 1t
Is gratifying that the consequences of the
great reverse last year have been SO far over
come