The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-03-19
HOW TRADE LOOKS.
THERE ARE PROSPECTS FOR A
LARGE SPRING BUSINESS.

Comparisons in Prices Which Show
khe Grave Dis1ocation Caused by In
adrauate Consumption and Combi-
nations Condition of the Iron and
steel and other Lending Industries.
R.G Dun & Co. = weekly review of
srado says Waiting is still the rule.
Large hope but little actual business ex-
plains the strength Of some markets and
he weakness Of others The feeling that
the spring Of 1896 ought to bring larger
business will not suffice to meet expenses
all the season If the larger business does
not come.
II is especially noteworthy that price Of
materials have varied quite differently
rom prices of manufactured products
although i'm most cases the advance last
all was commenced by an extraordinary
uplifting of prices for materials. Thus
Otton is $40 per cent higher than y
year ago, but cotton goods average only
tO.7 per. cent. Wool is but 5.3 per cont.
higher than year ago, but woolen goods
are on the whole about 1 per cent. lower.
Pig iron is only II per cent higher than
n year ago. while finished products Of
iron and steel average 10 per cent. higher.
These comparisons are important because
bhey dislosc something Of the grave dis
location of prices which inadequate CON
sumption and combinations have pro-
duccd.
The output of pig iron March l was
l69, 5S3 tons weekly, against lVS, 800 tons
February /, but the unsOld stocks have
risen 90, 764 tons during the past month,
gr II, 44l weekly, and the unsold stocks
Of the great steel companies are not in
Bluded. There is reason to believe that
actual consumption is still at least 10 per
cont smaller than the production Of pig,
and the price of Bcssemer at Pittsburg
Aas again declined slightly to Sl2.25,
with exceptionally large sales even below
that figure Prices of finished product
are not quotably lower, although all
markets are weak in tone. The industry
is waiting for a larger demand which, it
Is hoped, may soon como TO clear away
the accumulation of surplus stocks.
or the minor metals copper is in mod
crate demand at ll.12 cents, and there is
more movement in tin at 1874 cents,
while lead is slightly weaker at 3.l5
cents. Tin plates are weak, in part
because of little demand, but American
Bessemer l 14x20 full weight are
quoted at SO. 75 against 49, 50 for similar
foreign brands. Aluminium rolling in
gots are now offered at cents per pound
in ton lots, the harnessing of Niagara
having already reduced the cost Of this
metal for the world.
Cotton goods sell but slowly nOtwith-
,s,,Jir, ,,,apt in Dripp and
che enormous accumulation of unsold
stocks causes apprehension in many quar-
bers. In woolens the demand is very large
Iy for low grade goods and fierce compe-
sition affects the price of the better grade
materially. In clay worsteds the manu-
lCture has been so far overdOne that stop
page of some most important works is
considered not improbable. The great
need Of a more effective law to prevent
undervaluations of imports is now real
ICED by all parties, and one has been un-
Animously recommended by the com
mittfe Sales of wool at the three chief
markets are the smallest in Eve years,
and for two weeks have been only
S,683, 900 pounds, of which 1889, 200
were domestic, against 9,541,, 500 last
year, of which $3.50, 500 were domestic,
and 1907, ,676 in 1892, of which
3, 1863, 42G were domestic. Price are still
maintained, with decrease in Australian
supplies The market for wheat is
weaker, with no better reason than the
government report of wheat in farmers
hands, which is all together out of keep
ing with the government estimate year
ago, and yet is probably more correct.
Western receipts still exceed last years
and for two weeks have been 1867 392
bushels against $50, ,715 last year, while
che Atlantic exports, flour included, this
week, little smaller than year ago,
have been for two weeks 2,921 ,097 bush.
els against 3, SO, ,152 last year.
Corn is a shade frmer without apparent
reason, and cotton maintained a six
teenth although the prospect of yield this
year is at least as good as it has been at
any time.
Failures for the week have been 300 in
the United States against 266 last year,
and 26 in Canada against 81 last year.