The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-06
BUSINESS BREVlTIES.

! soual remarks.
BUSINESS BREVlTlES.
! Steel. TRADE.-Dun & Co. report
! that the new combination has given a
decided upward impulse tn steel billets,
raising prices at Pittsburg about 81 per
ton, which has caused an advance of II
per ton In Bessemer pig, and small ad-
| vantes, though not Improvement, In
| buying, of some finished products. the
cost of which ia most affected by the
cost of steel. The organization Is loose
! ly said to cover all the Bessemer pro-
ducers In the country.
i
COAL TRADE.-Anthracite coal OF
the best quality sold last week at an
average Of $3.65 per ton. t. o. b., In New
| York harbor, says Dun. Prices for
other sizes were unchanged but firm,
and the demand for coal was reported
by the companies as a little better. The
managers of the companies still refuse
| to make public any statistics Of the out
| put OF coal. but 1t Is understood on exc
cellent authority that the amount Is
we'll within the agreed limit. For
March the production was about $780,
600 and the April limit has been fixed at
100000 tons. The new prices Of btu.
/ minous coal went into erffect on
| Wednesday. At Philadelphia the cir
cular is $2.S5 per ton for delivery along
side, and in New York the harbor price
is $3.50. The freight toll on bitumlnous
coal from the mines to tidewater local
trade has been fixed at $1.75.
RAILROAD EARN1NGS.-The ag-
gregate of gross earnings of all roads
in the United States reporting for such
part Of the first quarter Of 1898 as Is
complete is $1S8,52l.716, an increase Of
| so per cent. compared with last year,
and a decrease Of 6.6 per cent. COM
| pared with the corresponding period
in 1893. All classes of roads report an
increase over 1895, except eastern.
other than the trunk lines, and the loss
on the eastern Is due entirely to heavy
losses reported by anthracite coal roads
for February. Compared with 1893. all
, classes of roads In the United States
report decrease.
WHEAT.-Crop conditions are rather
favorable. The Orange Judd Farmer
places me condition at 81. which Is
about 9 points above last year, and the
! same as at this date In 1894. Mr.. Tho
man, however, fixes the percentage at
S0.5, but the trade generally accepts
predictions pointing to the larger yield.
The official record of visible supply
shows a slight decrease for this country
and still larger one for England.
April opens with the supply at Liver
pool 2.s70, 900 bushels. against 282S, 900
on March /, and 21S9,000 a year ago.
The agricultural department estimated
the worlds crop In 1895 at 2,566. GAS, 900
bushels. decrease of $4,000, 900 from
1894, but the largest with that eXcep-
tion in five years.
i
NEARBY RAILROAD EARNINGS.
The New York. Ontario and Western
railroad reports gross earnings for
February of $232,9O5 an increase of
$4,000, as compared with the same
month OF last year, and net s3S.296, an
increase of sl2.273, For the eight
months ending February 20 the gross
earnings were se.52o. So2. an Increase OF
S5G.SOS, as compared with the corre-
spending period Of last year. and net
I 9T5%23S. an increase of s53,S22. The
Eric railroad reports gross earnings for
|, February Of - 12207S. an increase of
$15i Sf2 as compared with the same
month of last year, and net $H9t ,S55, an
incrcase Of S7i.526 For the three
months ending February % the gross
earnings were $6.5e69lS, an increase of
s65S.22S as compared with the CORE.
spending period Of last year. and net
81 ,492,2l4, an Increase of $32l,4l3.
II
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.-Im-
ports of dry goods and merchandise at
the mort of New York this week were
valued at $l1,S42.SO1, against 9,457,475
last week and $9.546472 in the corre-
spending week of last year. Total
since January 1, s141.647, ,6lS. against
Sl43.S22,5G1 in the corresponding period
of last year. 1mnorts of specie were
$l3129 gold and $345,214 silver a total
of 5S,943 against a. total OF Sll0SSl last
week and sl.S7l 2S9 the corresponding
week of last year. Total since January
l. $17S9O. 500, against s13,6l9.O43 in the
corresponding period last year. Ex-
ports of specie aggregated 81 .O6G, 700 sill
yer bars and coin and $154, ,OSO United
States and foreign gold COMA total OF
$1,220,7SO against S9S4.S62 same week
last year. From January to date the
exports of gold have been Sl6.524.4 4.449
and s13.500,695 silver. against $40, ,4S7. .S92
gold and $7.629,6G2 silver for the same
time last year.
-.
BUSINESS IMPROvING.-Accor
ing to the commercial agencies the ex.
cess of manufacturing failures in the
last quarter over the corresponding
time last year is about 1862 per cent.
but the aggregate of such liabilities
is 1874 per cent. smaller than In the
same time in 1894. and the excess in
failures in general trade over the 1895
quarter is 1871 per cent, with liabilities
1876 per cent less than in the same time
in 1894
Philadelphia Provision Market.
Philadelphia. April 4.--The market ruled