The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-04
THE CONDITION OF TRADE
ADDITIONAL F1yORABLE FEAi-
URES REPORTED ITBLLTIM0RE.

Iron aud steel Products, Wheat and in-
dian Corn and Granu'ated sug"r Are
Higher Number of Large cities Furnish
smaller Totals Thau in March Year
Ago. .....
New York, April 3.--Bradstreets to-
morrow win say; Stormy weather at
the northwest, continued restriction of
distribution Of staple merchandise and
unsatisfactory mercantile collections
continue to be the leading characterize
tics Of general trade, The conspicuous
change is in the steel and iron markets,
The formation of pool of manufactuc-
ers of steel to regulate production and
maintain prices results in an advance
of So per ton in quotations for steel bill
let's and SIPS per ton for Bessemer pig
iron. A corresponding stimulus is gig'.
en- quotations for other forms of iron
and steel. Whereas leading metal mar
kets were dull and depressed a week
ago, activity Is reported with pros
pect of further advances. This must
naturally tend to stimulate kindred in
dustries, The movement in steel ana
iron markets during the next few weeks
will attract an unusual share of atten-
| ton.
! Additional favorable features are re-
ports that at Baltimore the general
| trade has been the best for years; that
| there has been a slight increase In vol
ume at Pittsburg: that at Kansas City
| distribution of general merchandise is
fair, but commission houses admit be-
ing overrun with country conslgnments,
which are slow of sale, and that de-
| mand for dress woolens, autumn deliv-
cry, has been sufficient to stimulate
manufacturers to buy raw material
more freely.
In addition to advances for iron and
steel, and products thereof, wheat, In
dian corn and graduated sugar are
higher, maintaining the tendency of a
week ago. Wheat flour, cotton, wool,
print cloths and rye are substantially
unchanged, but oats, barley pork, lard,
butter and cheese are all lower, as Is
coffee. The movement of dry goods
from iobbers' hands has not improved
Wool is dull and depressed, and some
| mems wear mills in New England and
in Pennsylvania have closed. Mime
apolis, ST. Paul, St. Louis and Omaha
report less than the usual volume Of
business, largely the result of the e.
cent storm Chicago is also affected
and at Cincinnati Nashville and Louis
vile business is quieter.
Exports Of wheat, -four included as
1xyha hat S.te, a, or
gregate 1893, 900 bushels, against 2S53,-
900 bushels in the week a year ago, g.
TTS000 bushels in the week two years
ago and 3,365,000 bushels in the like
week in 1895. Exports of Indian corn
have increased and amount to 2,19900t
bushels this week. three times what they
| were years ago. March bank clear,
| ings are in contrast with those Of Feb
ruary when the total was 20 per cent
larger than the corresponding total g
year ago. The March aggregate Is S4,
| 10S 900 000 only | per cent more thar
| the totals for February and an increase
| over the March totals year ago OF
| only % per cent Contrasted with
| March. 1893 the falling off is "a pei
cent, while 1t Is 10 per cent. smaller
than the total for January, 1895, Mos
| favorable clearing reports are from
southern cities. A number of the large
| center furnish smaller totals than IN
| March year ago, notably Boston, Chi
cage, Philadelphia, st Louis Gains
| are shown at Baltimore, Buffalo, Pitts
| burg, Cleveland, Cincinnati, st. Paul
| New Orleans and New York, reiatlvels
| the heaviest being at Omaha. The
weeks clearings amount to $685., 900, 900
an increase Of about 6 per cent Owe
last week, and a decrease of per cent
from the corresponding total one yea
ago The increase in the weeks clear
| ing over the total in 1894 is less thar