Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-04
Chief Obstacle Anxiety 10 PUCK
Fruit Too Soon.


NEW YORK, May 3.-Messrs. r. G.
Dun & Co.'S weekly review of trade to-
morrow will say:
Business begins May In better condi-
ton than at any other time since the
break-d down in May, 1886 Smaller in vol
ume than then, 1t is not now shrinking,
but enlarging. The chief obstacle 10
more complete recovery Is the anxiety oil
many to pluck fruit before II is ripe.
Holders OF some staples have lifted them
SO far as to prevent their marketing;
consumption of materials In some
branches is checked by advances which
cannot be realized for finished products;
workers in some industries are demand
ing wages that cannot be paid out OF any
business In sight. In spite OF labor trou-
bles and speculative excesses' however
the outlook brightens: the money mar
kets continue healthy, and with heavy
sales Of railway bonds abroad. the de-
ficiency In public revenue OF %''i2'Sio IN
April causes no apprehension.
Demands for fun restoration OF
wages 10 the level of 1892 have closed
many woollen-mills. and threaten 10 close
others employing about nine thousand
hands at Olneyville and about froVl-
dence, and have arrested work AZ otner
mills Of some Importance. similar ue-
mands are made In cotton-mills or Mas
sschusetts. Exaggerated accounts OF re-
covery In business. often published anu
sometimes prompted by manufacturers
themselves, make II not entirely strange
N operatives fail TO see that business
In the great industries Is without proht.
and that much OF the working force Is
stu unemployed.
The speculative-fever grows more fierce,
a. 10 natural when business starts up
IAxy n
the prices OF staples have gone above the
exporting points.
The strike at Newcastle, Pa. now over,
etiffened Bessemer pig so that sl0.15 was
quoted at Pittsburg, and the closing OF
a Wheeling mill stiffened billets, while
southern makers have nominally ad-
vanced their price. though sales have
been made here under $40 for No. 2. Ad-
ditional contracts for structure work here
and At Chicago, sales OF 1900 tons OF
rails at the East. better demand for
wire and It's products. and for plates ana
sheets, are the encouraging features this
week. Cotton-ties are shade higher. az
Is cents per bundle. and wire-nais at 80
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 i'm
pcrtant strikes In iron-works about Pitts
burg threaten serious disturbances.
Another heavy decrease OF li,e67 tons In
the output OF coke makes the shrinkage
nearly 20 per cent. in two weeks. and fur
, aace II offered at s1.lo. The anthracite
:oal agents agreed to mine only three
lays Of the week In May. but prices are
Unchanged. Wfndoy-glass makers have
tdopted a new scale for the two loves
brackets so cents higher than before.
The remarkable rise In leather con-
dnues. and yet shipments of boots and
bhoes from Boston for April were slightly
arger than two years ago. or ever be-
lore. and most OF the works have orders
:or three OF four months production at
material advance In prices. The chief
Embarrassment is uncertainty as to the
future price OF leather. The rise In prices
u cotton goods also continues. The WOOL
fn year ends with the lowest prices yet
Known.
The failures In twenty-five days Of
April showed liabilities OF 1853 go. OF
which C6i47e were Of manufacturing.
ana S.76.65o OF trading concerns. Last
year. In four weeks ending April 18th
the liabilities were ss.s26.s62. OF which
o.es7.320 were Of manufacturing. and
N67.6se OF trading concerns.
The weeks failures are 2si In the
United States. against 2s3 last year, and
IN Canada. against IS last year.