The herald., 1895-05-04
A REVIEW OF THE TRADE
Dun & Co. Summarize Business for the
Past Week
Bright Outlook With the Opening OF Mav-The
Strikes in the Coal Fields Referred To.
Speculative Fever

NEW YORK, May 3.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'s Review of Trade, which issues to-
morrow, Will say:
Business begins in May in better condi-
ton than at any time since the break
down in May, 1893. Smaller in volum =
than then, it is not shrinking, but enlarg
ing. The chief obstacle to a more COM
plete recovery is the anxiety of many to
pluck the fruit before it is ripe. Holders
OF some staples have lifted them so far as
to prevent their marketing, so consump-
tion of materials in some branches is
checked by advances which cannot be
realized for finished products. Workers
in some industries are demanding wages
that cannot be paid out of any business.
In spite of labor troubles the outlook
brightens. Money markets contin ue
healthy and with heavy sales of railway
bonds abroad. the deficiency IN public
revenue, $s, 142. $40 in April, causes no ap-
prehension. Demands for full restoration
OF wages to the level of 1892 have closed
may wooden mills and threaten to close
others. The strike which closed the iron
furnaces at New Castle. Pa, has Just
ended without success. but other strikes
have stopped numerous works about
Pittsburg. Pocahontas coke workers are
on strike, and one is threatened by Ala
bama coal miners. The speculative fever
grows more serious as is natural when
business starts up with prices at ex-
trenle low points. but by lifting wheat
from 63 cents to 50 cents, Atlantic ex-
ports have been checked and -four in
cluded, have been only 1.672. 1877 bushels,
against 3,O17, ,045 last year. The close was
at o2% cents. Western receipts are now
larger than year ago. and except in
parts Of some states the promise for the
next yield is excellent. A sale of 200, 900
tons by the Fair estate at San Francisco
loading thirty ships for Europe, will
lessen other demands on Atlantic sup
plies. Enormous transactions in cotton
have been followed by decline from I
to 6.S1 cents. though peace in China was
represented as insuring greatly in
creasd demand.
The strike of the Newcastle. Pennsy-
vania, furnaces. now over. stiffened Besse-
mer pig and the closing OF the Wheeling
mill stiffened bilets. while southern
makers have nominally advanced their
prices SO they have been made here under
$40 for No. =. Additional contracts for
structural work have been let at Chicago,
sales of 1000 rails, at least better de-
mand for wire and its products and for
plates and sheets are encouraging fea-
lures this week. Wire nails are shade
higher at IS cents, and cut nails at 10
cents by carload are less demoralized.
Consumption does not yet equal capacity
of works or output of pig, but improves.
Late in the week important strikes in the
iron works about Pittsburg threatened
serious disturbance. Another heavy de-
makes the shrinkage nearly 20 per cent
for two weeks and furnaces offered at
81. 10. Anthracite coal agents agreed to
mine only three days of the week. but
prices are unchanged. Window glass
makers have adopted new scale for two
low brackets at so cents higher than be-
fore.
The rise in prices of cotton goods con-
tinues. The woolen year ends with the
lowest prices yet known, 10 quotations by
Coates Brothers averaging 1887 against
Large sales at such prices are natural
and in April H. 99O. 900 pounds OF domes-
tics and II sss, 700 OF foreign were sold at
the three chief markets, against .O63, 558
domestic and 7,775,00 foreign last year.
The demand for woolen goods does not
improve and many cancellations are re-
ceived. although sales of wool indicate
larger consumption.
The weeks failures are o3t in the
United States against 233 last year, and "a
Ill Canada against IS last year.