Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1896-04-06
DUN'S REPORT.
Over Four Thousand Failures in
the last Three Months.
The Alarm Over the Gold Exports Has
About Subsided.
Steel Concerns Propose to Restrict Produce
tion by Aiiotment-woolen nIanufac-
ture Does Not Gain In Ordcrs-Prices
of Wool Falls l-2 Per Cent.

New YORK, April Ar. q. Dun Sc Co.
will say Saturday:
The regular quarterly statement of
failures shows 4,oS1 with liabilities of
S57, ,425, ,1S5, against ,sO2 last year with
liabilities of S4S, S,S13,6s3.
The improvement expected with
spring weather begins, though in some
branches of business scarcely visible.
AS consumers MAX, spring purchases
they must lessen stock and COMPEL less
buying The stocks taken In advance
of consumers demands last summer
have been distributed far more slowly
than was expected, but months of this
waiting has helped to lessen the load
which it is hoped spring buying will
clear away.
Apprehensions Of foreign or financial
difficulties have hindered, but are now
scarcely felt. Gold exports are rumored,
but at this season are so far natural
that they have no such power to cause
alarm as they had in winter. The
gigantic steel combination is expected
to have great influence in sustaining
markets and stimulating confidence,
and though such operations often miss
the success they seek, they rarely fail
to kindle speculative buying for a
time. The sudden advance of two dol
lars ton in billets week ago has
raised Bessemer pigs 81 at Pittsburgh,
and the demands for structural forms
increase in expectation that prices will
rise. Nail associations have given no.
tice of another advance of is cents at
the end of this month Bars have been
greatly demoralized but some makers
now hope to re-establish the combina-
ton, as steel bars will become dearer.
But No. foundry is slightly lower at
Philadelphia and the general demand
for finished products does not yet
improve. The steel concerns
propose to restrict production
by allotment, those producing more
than their share paying SO per ton to
those who produce less. Orders for
lake copper are solicited at 10h and
lead is weak at 3.10 Less encourage
ment appears in the horseshoe trade.
The woolen manufacture does not gain
in orders and large part of the ma
chinery is stopped. Prices of wool
have fallen ~ per cent. Cotton
mills still pile up goods in ad-
vance of orders, as reductions
in prices have failed as yet to
stimulate buying. Speculation in pro-
ducts has been slim. Cotton continues
to come forward so largely that former
predictions of $500, 900 bales are remem-
bered with derision and the outlook for
the next crop continues good. Wheat
has slightly advanced and if later re-
ports of injury from extensive frosts
and storms prove correct, will advance
more. though western receipts continue
nearly fifty per cent larger than last
year.
Corn exports are large and receipts
also heavy but pork has declined 75
cents per barrel
Speculation in stocks has not been
active, though railroads average nearly
one dollar per share higher than last
week. while transactions in trust
stocks have scarcely gained anything.
Railroad tonnage in March has been a
shade larger than in 1898, but reported
earnings of railroads are 81 per cent.
larger than last year. but lo.4 per cent.
smaller than in 1893.