The record-union., 1896-11-28
WEEKLY REVIEW OF TRADE.
BUSINESS ON THE WHOLE IS
ENLAR0IN0,
Even Though the Demand for Some
Products is Not as Great as
Was Expected.

NEW YORK, Nov Or. G. Dun &
Co. will say tomorrow in their weekly
trade review:
When the rush of orders after the
election slackened many began to think
business dwindling, but subsistence OF
deferred orders Is not decreasing. Tnls
is observed in the iron and steel indus
try by the various combinations which
have and still are retarding tradlngs,
and the same is true in boots and shoes
and in few branches Of textile goods.
But business is, on the whole, enlarg-
ing, and the employment of many more
hands will extend purchasing power.
The settlement of the window glass
controversy, starting many thousands
of hands, and the collapse of some i'm
portant iron combinations with the
same effect give promise OF more busl-
ness.
Broadly speaking, all the gain has
been greater than anybody expected,
and it is not surprising If a small part
of it is in excess of the present consum-
ing demand. Reports from all parts of
the country show clearly the enlarge
ment of trade, not at all points in the
same branches, but evidently helped by
more confident feeling.
Monetary difficulties have vanished as
If by magic, and banks, with an uncom-
fortably large supply of idle money, are
hunting borrowers as the borrowers
were recently hunting lenders. The
enormous gains in bank deposits, $780,
COO,OOO in two weeks, indicate some
thing of the amount of funds recently
boarded.
Wheat has risen over six cents for the
week, without material change in for
eign advices. which have been on the
whole less stimulating. Corn has SYM
pathized with wheat only little, and
is coming forward freely. The most
important factor in the wheat market is
that the visible supplies do not gain as
much as has been expected.
Cotton has gained only a sixteenth
after it's considerable decline, and the
remarkably heavy movement puts the
speculators for an advance in constant
difficulty, and yet there is all the time to
be remembered the fact that the crop
was nearly one month earlier than
usual, and the present excess over last
year may be considerably reduced
hereafter. Nevertheless, the fact ap-
pears that northern mills are taking
much less cotton than in previous years,
and the demand for goods is evidently
disappointing. It cannot be said that
prices in this department are the him
drance, for even with some recent re-
auction in quotations the sales Of staple
cottons are comparatively small
Wool Is still bought largely for specu-
lation, and earlier purchasers are hold
ing, but the mills are not yet doing much
more than in October. A few more
have been started, but there Is scarcely
any demand apparent for staple goods.
The boot and shoe industry is still him
dered by the general refusal of dealers
to pay the advanced prices demanded
by manufacturers except for the limited
quantities which are Immediately re-
quired, and while most manufacturers
are working on orders taken weeks ago
at lower prices, which will keep them
pusy Tor some weeks to come, very lit
lie new business is coming No further
advance OF Importance has been made in
leather and the market for hides has
sharply reacted so that the average of
prices is slightly lower than November
18TH
The collapse Of the nail combination
and probably Of the beam combination.
ana considerable reduction in QUOTA
tions Tor nails and beams, gives reason
70 look Tor a larger demand for pro-
ducts or iron and steel, but at present
the sales against speculative purchases
made some time ago are depressing
prices, and Bessemer pig has sold at
SlA 20, and according to some reports
a httie lower at Pittsburg. The demand
Ior such products as are not controlled
by the combinations is somewhat in
creased, but by no means as rapidly a.
expected.
In minor metals tin is scarcelv as
strong as 1t was week ago, but copper
and lead are stronger.
Failures for the week have been 400
In the United States against 279 last
year. and 30 in Canada, against AZ last
year A00'