The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-04-27
Prices of Wheat, Beef, Oil and
Cotton Goods Enhanced.
TRADE OUTLOOK IS BRIGHT
False Values plascd Uron a Few Com
modities. but Business Is Better
Bank Clearauees Of a Week.

New York. April 19.-R. G. Dun &
Company's Weekly review of Trade to-
morrow will say:
In every speculative department the
business IS growing, but this is really
the least satisfactory feature of the sit
uation. Cotton, oil and wheat climb
above the export price. so that the mar
keting of products abroad must be
checked, and money is absorbed which
ought to be einptied in productive in
dustry, and in the distribution of prod
ucts to consumers. Everybody knows
that oil has not risen 200 per cent, be-
cause 1t is intrinsicaliy more valuable,
nor is wheat actually worth more than
it was two or three weeks ago, but the
expansive and uplifting force has for
tunately taken to speculation rather
than to production, and so we have high
er prices in all speculative markets,
without a large demand for consump-
ton.
Wheat has advanced over cents dur
ing the past week, and the western re-
ceipts are small, only 1902, S46 bushels,
against 1,766, 500 last year but Atlantic
exports for three weeks of April have
been only 1865, 4S1 bushels Clour includ-
ed) against $3.50, 366 last year, and there
is no indication that the foreign demand
will increase while the prospects for this
years crop are considered excellent.
The most pronounced feature is the
price in the rise of beef, but which is
largely due to the control of the sources
of supply by few strong corporations
There ought to be sufficient power in
the hands of the government to meet
such conspiracy against the public, and
the proposal OF Secretary Morton to adj
NIT Mexican cattle on easy terms, for
the benefit of consumers, is heartily
commended. The actual decrease in
receipts OF cattle at the four chief west
ern markets has been 200. 900 head during
the first quarter OF $50. and the guam
tity killed has been only $4,000 head less
than last year, about 10 per cent But
facts have little to do with prices in
shis case as in the case OF oil.
In iron and steel the situation is rath-
er disappointing. Although the output
continues large, the demand for finished
products does not seem to increase.
The sales of wool at the chief eastern
markets have been 1884, 900 pounds for
three weeks of April, against 14,6O2.s0O
last year, which indicates that the pro-
duction of goods is at present larger
than it has been at any time for nearly
two years, and while foreign compe-
tition is seriously felt. in some branches
the manufacturers are making Vigor-
Gus effort to retain the home market.
even In lines which they at one time eX-
pected to abandon.
The failures during the last week were
241. against 219 last year
BRADSTREETS LETTER.
New York, April 19.-Bradstreet'S to-
morrow will say:
~ rrnnnro1 trade has
maintained the previous weeks proper
lions, and at some points shows a note
worthy increase as compared with the
total year ago. The reaction in petro-
leum prices appears to have been over
come and the tendency is again up
ward, based on a drop in stocks from
about II ,000, 900 barrels of Pennsylvania
oil in January, 1894, to less than $1,000
900 barrels of merchantable oil. Sc
marked has been the appreciation II
price of petroleum that speculation ha:
been excited. Further advances in quo
tations are noted also for wheat on i'm
proved demand for exports; cotton on {
wide consumption, present and prospec
tive, of print cloths and other cottor
goods, because of higher raw cotton
Bessemer pig iron, on the increase o
the cost of ore. coke and labor, anC
shoes and leather on the further stiff
ening of the values of hides.
Exports Of wheat from both coasts
of the United States this week (iour in
ciuded as wheat) show a third week..
gain in succession. with the tota
amounting to 3,165,OOO bushels. agains
2,934,O00 bushels last week.
BANK CLEARANCES.
New York, April 19.-The following
table, compiled by Bradstreet's, show
the total clearances at the principa
cities and the percentage of increas
or decrease, as compared with the cor
responding week last year: