The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-29
THE WEEKS BUSINESS
SLIGHT GAINS IN THE WEST, WITH
NO GENERAL IMPROVEMENT.
Rather Discouraging Reports Sent
Out I'm Dun & Co.'s and Brad
streets Review of Trade.

NEW YORK, Feb. 2S.-R. G. Dun & Co.'S
weekly review of trade, which issues to-
morrow. will say: In some quarters bust
ness gains. This is in the West rather
than the East. but there is no general
change for the better, although hopefulness
still predominates. The want of sufficient
demand for the products of great indus
tries still retards actual Improvement.
Strikes of some Importance in garment
making and kindred lines affect trade in
Chicago and Baltimore. but there are fewer
labor difficulties than usual as existing
conditions warn wage earners that con-
troversies at this time are unwise. Wheat
has taken a flight upward. advancing 3l4c
for cash and 22sc for May, with rumors of
foreign supplies as the only basis. Esti-
mates of wheat in farmers hands are
lower than last year, but still indicate,
with visible stocks. supply much beyond
probable needs. Western receipts have
been 2.36l,37S blu. against 1,j99,759 bu last
year, and for four weeks of February TO-
790,1H blu. against 1914 400 bu last year. In
the presence of such receipts Atlantic
ports of 7,043,57 blu, -four included, against
1O006.2l bu for the same weeks last year.
have real weight, but a larger move
ment hereafter is expected. Cotton has
important decline in goods having much in
fuence The price of middling uplands has
declined 1-16c and preparation for a large
increase of acreage is stIn reported.
The market for the textile goods Is dis
appointing. Material reductions in cot
tons have not brought out the needed de-
mand. and the further decline in brown
sheetings this week to 41sc corresponds
with the reports that mills of some impor-
lance may prefer to arrest production for
a time unless demand improves 1T is not
TO be forgotten that the mills are getting
an average of about per cent. more for
goods than year ago, while paying Is per
cent more for cotton. Wooden goods are
goods, but business for the future does not
mend Clay worsteds are again a shade
lower, the range for wool is scarcely l per
cent. higher than a year ago, although
wool is more than per cent. higher and
a good many mills are closing or reducing
demands of foreign manufacturers for the
American market keep prices up abroad.
The feature in iron has been the large
demand for wrought and cast pipe. Two
hundred miles OF wrought have been taken
for the Standard Oil Company and some
for other companies, with $50 miles wanted
for Russia, while New York contracts for
$500 tons cast pipe have been placed at the
lowest prices ever known. s1750d17.65 per
ton Large orders for structural work are
received ut Chicago and expected at the
East as building plans unusually large,
but sheets sell slowly and rails very
little though bar is fairly active, with
many orders coming for cars. Iron quota
tions average per cent lower for the
week because Of the drop in Bessemer at
Pittsburg to $3.50. and in grey forge to
slo.75.
Failures for the week have been 27S in
and ffty-eight in Canada, against thirty
eight last year.