Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-01-31
GREAT JUMP IN WHEAT
Demand Increased So Much As to
Indicate Higher Prices.
IT is AFEATURE OF THE TRADE
Supplies for the Leading Importing
Markets Controlled by Russia
aud the United States.

New York, Jan. PAR. G. Dun e. Co. s
Weekly Review of Trade, which issues
tomorrow, will say:
THE week has been marked by i'm
provement apparent rather than real.
The prices of some products have risen,
but only because supplies are believed
to be smaller than was expected. The
senate still Injuries all business by do
ing nothing, and the treasury can not
expect to gain in gold as yet. but loses
less than was expected. 1t is generally
assumed that the new loan will be
placed without difficulty, though the
successive payments may cause contn-
ued disturbance.
"A deluge of foreign reports favorable
to wheat speculation found ready an
swers in an advance of over 5 cents. in
spite of western receipts of so per cent
larger last year. Atlantic exports for
the week were also much larger than
last year, for the first time in several
months, but for the crop year to date
all exports have been about IL 500, 900
bushels smaller than last year.
THE market has the idea that for
eign demands hereafter must be much
greater because of the deficient sup
plies elsewhere. but no one expects that
the increase Will be at all commensurate
with the enormous increase in western
receipts, q per cent, since the crop year
began, 1877 100000 bushels, against 107,
9S6, 1871 last year.
The iron and steel business finds en-
couragement in the advance of Besse-
mer pig to $13 at Pittsburg, and Grey
forge to $11.25, but these are the results
of the advance ordered by the combina-
lions In coke and ore. Anthracite is not
dearer at the east, and southern pig is
pressed for sale. Finished products are
not stronger, while pig iron has adj
vanced 1913 per cent since January l.
Prices of finished products average 1917
per cent lower than at that time The
demand Is plainly too small for the sup
ply, and the works in operation are
killing profits for each other by under
bidding.
In such a case lower prices for pig
iron and coke would seem inevitable,
but last year the raw materials hoisted
everything else. AND some expect the
operation to be repeated. While 13 fur
naces in the Pittsburg region have stop
ped since January l, the demand for the
products of iron has not, on the whole,
increased particularly, because the bar,
nail and rail associations have all fused
to lower prices.
Minor metals are still weak, copper
being sold at 1915 by brokers, with an
output of IA, 545 tons in this country in
December and 7149 abroad and LASS
for the last half of 1895, against AZ, 694
tons abroad. Lead and tin are practic-
ally unchanged.
The failures for the week were 373
against 1863 last year"
BRADSTREET'S REPORT.
New York, Jan. 24.-Bradstreets to-
morrow will say:
AN analysis of special kilograms to
Bradstreet's from the more important
business centers throughout the coun-
try show considerable irregularity In
trade, the most favorable feature being
the tendency of staple prices to ad-
vance. The advance of three cents
in wheat again raises the question
whether the beginning of the end of a
long period of depression of cereal
prices has come. Supplies of wheat for
leading importing markets are now con-
trolled by Russia and the United
States. midas, as well as the Argen-
tines, ability to ship is restricted, COM
pared with previous years, and Austria
la lett the list of exporters when she
began to import wheat from San Fran
| cisco recently.
Domestic wheat stocks are larger
than earlier official and trade estimates
of 1t, but the export demand has in
creased so far beyond what was antici-
pated and gives SO much promise of be-
ing continued, that the bulls in the spec
ulative markets are counting on higher
prices.
AT such centers as Chicago and St
Louis reports are made that interior
merchants have been disappointed In
the seasons business and are buying
somewhat more sparingly than expect.
ed, although many jobbers at those cit
les report that travellers for clothing
dry goods, shoe and hardware houses
are taking fair orders for spring de.
livery.
There are 50 business failures re-
| ported from Canada this week, against
"A last week, thus indicating a large
! falling off. But when contrasted with
the like weeks in preceding years the
So of this week is seen to be an unusual.
~ idiSe oHe. OHe year ago the tOta
was As in a corresponding week.
BANK CLEARANCES.
New York, Jan. 24.-The following ia.
BILE, compiled by Bradstreets, shows
the total clearances at the principal
cities and the percentage of increase o,
decrease as compared with the CORE,
spending week of last year:
Inc. Dec
New York -. -. 1888. 9S4, 800 "a 49,.
chicago. 80. S3.31S,51S 80. 2.a
Boston,. -. -. S4,5i6,916 90