The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-04-11
DUN's COMMERCIAL REVIEW.

The Improvement Expected with Spring
Weather Begun, Though as Jet Scarcely
SisibIe-The Gigantic Steel Combination
Expected to Stimulate Confidence and
Advance Prices-Wheat Slightly Adj
vanced Railroad Stocks Somewhat
Higher.
NEW YORK. April 4.-R. G. Dun d Co.
say:
The regular quarterly statement Of
failures shows 4,O31, with liabilities of
~s57,425.135, against 3,sO2 last year, with
liabilities of S47, S13, 6S3.
The improvement expected with
spring weather begins, though in
some branches of business scarcely
visible. AS consumers make spring
purchases they must lessen stock
and compel less buying. The
stocks taken in advance of con-
Sumers' demands last summer have
been distributed far more slowly than
vas expected; but months of waiting
have helped to lessen the load which
It is hoped spring buying will clear
away. approximations of foreign or
financial difficulties have hindered,
hut are now scarcely felt. Gold ex-
ports are rumored. but at this season
are SO far natural hat they have no
sucn power to cause alarm as they
had in winter.
The gigantic steel combination is
expected to have a great influence in
sustaining markets and stimulating
confidence, and though such oper-
atoms often miss the success they seek
they rarely fail to kindle speculative
buying for a time. The sudden adj
vance of two dollars a tor in billets a
week ago has raised Bessemer pigs one
dollar at Pittsburgh and the demand
for structural forms increases in ex-
pectation that prices will rise.
National associations have given To-
tice of another advance of 15c at tbs
end of this month.
Bars have been greatly d~emoralized,
but some makers now hope to re-estab-
fish the combination, as steel bars vii.
become dearer; but No. 1 foundry is
slightly lower at Philadelphia, and the
general demand for finished products
loes not yet improve. The steel con.
Germs propose to restrict production by
allotment, those producing more than
their share paying two dollars per ton
to those who produce less.
Orders for lake copper are solicited
at lOlz, while lead is weak at BIO.
Less encouragement appears in the
horseshoe trade.
The wooden manufacture does not
gain in orders and n large part of the
machinery is stopped. Prices OF wool
have fallen ~ cents. Cotton mills
still pile up goods in advance of orders,
rs reductions in prices have failed as
vet to stimulate buying. Speculation
in products has been tame. Cotton
continues to come forward so largely
that former predictions of $500, 600
bales are remembered with derision.
Wheat has slightly advanced and if
later reports of injury from extensive
frosts and storms prove correct; will
advance more, though western re-
ceipts continue nearly so per cen
larger than last year Corn exports
are large and receipts also heavy, but
pork declined 75c a barrel.
Speculation in stocks has not been
though railroads average
nearly one dollar per share higher
than last week, while transactions in
stocks have scarcely gained any
thing. Railroad tonnage in March
has been a shade larger than in 1893,
reported earnings of railroads are
81 per cent. larger than last year, but
IA per cent. smaller than in 1893.