The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-13
DUN,s REVIEW OF TRADE.

NEW YORK, y. Y, April 12-R. G. Dun & Co.'s
Weekly Review Of Trade, which issues tomorrow.
viii say: Progress toward better business con-
tinues, but il is slow and amid many obstacles. In
speculative aspeces and in wholesale demand for
goods the week shows Improvement. Money mar
kets are undisturbed and little more active. But
among the chief obstacles is the anxiety OF opera
tives to secure better wages, even while many
manufacturing works are running without profit
and others At a rlsE OF loss.
In a number OF establishments better wages have
been conceded thus increasing the purchasing
power of the people. But strikes have largely
overbalanced settlements, several of importance
having thrown about 10000 workers out OF en-
ployment this week. Retail trade has improved
on the whole since March, as the approach OF
Easter brings more business; but distribution to
individual customers still Iags behind purchases of
iobbers and such demand for products springs
from buildi ng and other investments looking into
the future. Crop prospects VIII greatly affect the
course OF trade for some months, and the Govern
ment report had little influence 10 discourage. For
consumers the worst feature is the rapid advance
in meats.
For the first time in long period, prices of COM
modities average shade higher than year ago,
and IN Great Britain also owing TO different
causes a slight advance occurred in March. On
both sides of the ocean the lowest level ever
known may naturally be followed by some rise.
Cotton is, on both siGes. more buoyant than any
thing else, except meat and petroleum. here, crude
oil having risen 20 so. the highest price for over
seventeen years. Nothing supports the advance of
an eighth in cotton the past week. eXcept the i'm
preston that the next crop will be short for re-
ceipts are large, and about 100000 bales more
than the largest crop ever grown have already
come into sight this year.
Wheat has yielded nearly cent although Allan
tic exports for two weeks have been 3.7O6, SAB
bushels, -four included, against 3599,6SS bushels
last year, with Western receipts only 2.0SS, 467
against 4,223,434 bushels last year. Receipts Of
corn about half and exports about a fifth of
last years. Decrease in receipts OF cattle
aggerated 659,4O6 having arrived at Chicago
against ,543 20 date last year, and the prevalent
opinion is that Western packers are helping nature
10 some extent. The output OF pigiron April l was
1882 tons weekly, practically the same as
March l. with decrease OF 1850 tons in unsold
stocks during the month.
Doubtless heavy stocks were taken up by manu-
facturerS in anticipation OF a strike coke works
but the apparent consumption is larger than any
other time for some months, and only sixth less
than in March, 1892. BesSemer iron has advanced
g little furher-to SO Is at Pttsburg-but there is
no change whatever IN prices of finished products
curing the week, and while the demand continues
good for structural forms and little better for
bars the marked decrease in the demand for wire,
owing 20 the scant purchases on farmers for fenc-
ing. affects the outlook. 1t seems probable that
pig1ron must recede, unless a larger demand for
finished product is soon developed.
Sales OF wool are particularly interesting amount
ing for the week 10 6.030,20O pounds and for five
weeks previous to %. go. 200 against 25,27T. 376
in the weeks OF 1892. In brief, sales are close to
the quantity required for a full consumption and
the long delay in placing orders and the ateness Of
the season make the proportion OF mills at work
larger than usual. No Improvement in prices APP
pears and domestic wool does not respond to re-
cent advances in foreign markets.
The low price encourages manufacturers to COM
pete much more vigorously with the foreign goods
Of many kinds than they had expected and for the
medium ana cheaper grades OF goods they have
more than the usual demand, because purchases of
consumers have for two years been comparatively
slim. The better goods fare not so well, foreign
competition being more effective, but there is a
good demand for dress goods. In cottons con-
tinued strength appears, with further occasional
advances OF IA and rs in print cloths, and the
aggregate is fair.
Many agents are sold well ahead
Eafl fOP fhn WOO int foT T,ffoJ
States, against 21S last year, and 81 in Canada,
against 4 last year.