Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1896-04-23
TRADE REVIEW.
An Increase In the Number OF Failures In
the United StateS-Therc Is "a General I'm
proNCment in the Retail business.

the United States There Is "a General I'm
proNcment i'm the Retail business.
NEW YORK, April 1S.-R. q. Dun IL
co. SAYS Saturday in their weekly re-
view of trade:
Failures for the past week have been
eos i'm the United States against POI
last year, and 20 in Canada against "a
last year The Sudden change from
slcighing To midsummer heat has
tested the prevalent idea that
good weather only was needed to
bring general Improvement of
business Everywhere there has
been more retail buying and in
some branches better demand at whole
sale and at the works has resulted, but
not as yet in most lines. There is no
abatement Of the almost universal dis
position to deal with unusual con-
servatism and not to anticipate future
wants, and this has been especially
conspicuous where combinations have
been formed of prices advanced.
To many interested in iron ore and
coke, steel billets, BesSemer pig and
various forms of steel il may be disap-
pointing that the forming of combina-
tions and fixing of prices have not
started again the rush to buy ahead of
needs, which made last year so memoir
able. But it is not easy to forget the
lesson which the past year has taught.
Instead of increasing, purchases have
been on the whole rather slack
ened though a little better in plates
at the east and in sheets at
Chicago. Bessemer pig and grey forge
are a shade lower at Pittsburgh, as is
the average of all iron and steel quota
tions and obstacles to some attempted
combinations have not yet been over
come The greatest consumers of lake
ore have not fastened to make con-
tracts at advanced prices and the out
put of coke is stationary. Tin
plate makers are meeting and
some propose to produce steel
for their trade at plants
of their own. Their unsold stocks in
creased in March ls.sSs tons more than
was reported last week. At the west
almost every town seems to want steel
for some building and good orders have
been placed for bars by implement and
car makers. Heavy production of cop
per defeats heavy exports and 1Osi is
quoted for lake and spelter has broken
to 40.
The boot and shoe makers have put
some quotations n shade lower since
leather has fallen below the average a
year ago and hides to the lowest aver
age since November, 1894, have de-
clined three per cent. this week. The
northern and northwestern demand Is
backward though the south has bought
freely. The silk association states
that 40 per cent. of the machinery
and hands in the country are idle
partly because of increasing Japanese
competition. Several more wooden mills
have shut down and some have reduced
wages ten per cent, while many are
working only half time, but recent adj
vances by appraisers not only disclose
heavy undervaluations in the past, but
tend to check future imports. The de-
mand for goods does not improve.
Somewhat more demand for staple cot
tons has been aroused by bargain
prices, but the closing of many mills
for time is urged as necessary.
Wheat rose about five cents last week,
met some reaction, but is shade high.
er than a week ago. After remaining
unchanged for many days, rumors
either way having no effect, cotton rose
a sixteenth on Thursday. Heavy com
mercial and mill stocks hinder most
buyers and possibilities of injury to the
coming crop retard sellers at current
prices.
March imports We're s3,912, ASS smaller
and exports s12, 1866, 1O7 larger than last
year, and the excess of exports was
50, 1905.