The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-12-16
DUN'S WEEKLY REVIEW
Holidays Prevent Further I'm.
provement in Trade.
MUST WATT FOR THE NEW YEAR.

While Industries Have Gained In Work.
ing Force. They Are Wal ing for Conn
mensurate Gain I'm Demand The Wheat
Market Weakened by Bearish Foreign
Meas and Large Western Receipts
Iron Output for the Month of December.
New York, Dec. 14.-R. G.. Dun IL
Co.'s weekly review of trade says: The
approach OF holidays and doubt about
the action OF congress put off further
Improvement until the new year. While
Industries have gained in working force,
they are waiting for commensurate
gain in demand, and meanwhile are
trying to clear away embarrassments
which restrict them. The wheat mar
ket has weakened, with less gloomy
news from other countries, and larger
western receipts, though only 1851, 374
bushels, against 6,OO3, 4O4 bushels last
year. disappointment about the break
in prices may help TO increase receipts.
Atlantic exports were but 2,755,65l
bushels, -four included, and for two
weeks have been but 4,74S,11S bushels,
against 4,l72,44S bushels last year. Pa
cific dispatches show that exports con-
tinue very heavy, and about 100000 tons
more are available from California. The
market has declined IA cents, and the
decrease in demand for -four with high
rail rates has closed nearly all the Su-
perior- Duluth and many of the other
northwestern mills.
Cotton Coming Steadily.
Cotton here declined 3-l6 cent. In
spite of all sorts of stories that the
crop has been nearly marketed il con-
tinues to come forward steadily. With
over 5000, 900 bales in sight already,
there are estimates based on govern
ment reports that the yield is 100000
bales or less, which would leave but
$500. 900 10 come forward in eight
months and three weeks. When the
official report first came there was
rush of buyers; a few minutes turned
the current, and a rapid decline fol-
lowed. The iron output for December
was 1929 tons weekly, against 124,077
Nov. /. and 216,797 a year ago, and un-
sold stocks reported were 31,90l tons
smaller than Nov. 1, but these do not
include stocks of the great steel COM
panies. The industry is for the time
demoralized by uncertainty regarding
the great combinations. The formal
withdrawal of the Bellare company
broke the billet pool, but a meeting Is
in session to construct IL, il possible.
The beammakers also meet this week
to revive, If they can. their compact,
and the steel rail workers will meet
shortly, with the prospect that one inn
portant concern will go out, and that
IL others are kept together prices will
have to be materially reduced. The bar
association scarcely pretends to con-
troll prices. which are slightly lower
this week. and the rupture of the nail
association for the time left the bar
price for wire nails about 81 80 at Pitts
burg, with extra charges on ordinary
assortments averaging IL cents. against
s2.55 paid last month. with extras av-
eraging 20 cents
Narrow Trading Must he Expected.
Until the future influence of these
combinations is better defined narrow
trading must be expected. and Resse-
mer pig and gray forge are slightly
lower. Minor metals are generally
weaker-tin at $3.50. copper at liz
cents for lake and lead at 1926. Alumni
mum has been reduced from 80 TO 81
cents for ingots. ton lots, and 65 to SO
cents for rods, production having in
creased fourfold
Textile industries are working
larger force since October, but there is
not much evidence of larger demand.
and some kinds Of goods are accumu-
lating. AS raw cotton is lower, some
yielding in prices of staples is expected,
and buying Is on that account more
restricted few qualities of goods hav-
ing slightly declined. Print cloths are
weak in tone. with enormous stocks.
Wooden goods are not in better demand.
and there is general indsposition 10
make commitments ahead. Sales OF
wool i'm two weeks 14,37S 900 pounds.
against IL .999. 200 last year. and 10, $751;
700 in 1892. are this year largely be-
tween traders, as the mills find at pres
ent little encouragement TO buy, and
London sales are a shade weaker. Quo
tations are not changed, though more
frequent concessions are reported. Fail
ures for the week have been $50 in the
United States. against 1893 last year, and
forty-three in Canada, against fifty
four last year.