The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-03-14
BUSINESS STILL WAITING.
Situation Pull Of Hope, But Pew
Actual Transactions.
GENERAL TRADE SHOWS NO CHANGE.
Distribution and Collections xrp>l.p.
sa,isfao,ory-Com Demon
stratiDg DisIocation OF PIlces.

New York, March l3.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'S Weekly Review of Trade, which
issues tomorrow, will say: Waiting IS
still the rule. Large hope but little ac-
tual business explains the strength OF
some markets and the weakness of others,
Tho feeling that the spring OF 1856 ought
to bring larger business VIII not suffice
to meet expenses all the season II the
larger business dooe not come. II Is cs-
Deciaily noteworthy that prices Of mater
ial have varied quite differently from
prices OF manufactured products, although
in most cases the advance last fall was
COMMENCED by extraordinary upllit.ng
OF prices for material Thus cotton goods
average oily iOl per cent Wool is but
J.5 per cent higher than year ago. out
wooden goods arc. on the whole, about I
per cent lower. Pig iron IS only II per
cent higher than year ago while finished
products Of iron and steel average Is per
cent higher. These comparisons are I'M
portant because they disclose something
OF the grace disiocation OF prices which
inadequate consumption and combinations
nave produced. The price oil Hessemrr
steel AT llttsburg has again declined
shEht4y TO l. - with exceptionally large
safes even below that figure. Prices Of
though all markets are weak in tone
Tin plates are weak. IN p,trs because Of
little dcmar q.
Cotton goods sell but slowly notwith-
standing recent reductions ia prices and
tue enormous accumulation Of unsold
stocks causes apprehension IN many quar-
ters In wOoleus tho demand Is very
largely for low grade goods and fierce
competition Affects the prices OF the bet
ter grades materially In clay worstcd tho
manufacture has been SO far oVcrdoue
tuat slopp8ge OF some of the most TIM
portant Works is considered not improh-
able. y T. great need OF more effective
law To- prevent undervaiuatious Of i'm
ports u now realized by all parties AMI
one has been unanimously recommend
by the committee.
Sales of wool at the three chief mar
kets are tho smallest in hve years and
Cor two weeks have been only 65,3 so
pounds. Of which 333S,200 were domestic,
against 9iil.501 last year. of which 5,ls0, @
500 wore domestic and l2,ol7,67G IN 1892. OF
which i2j were do nestle. Prices are
stiIl maintained with increase In Aus
trllian supplies.
Tho market for wheat IS weaker with
no better reason than tho government re-
port of wheat IN farmers hands which
Is altogether ont OF keeping with the
government estimate "a year ago and yet
IL probably more nearly correct Western
receipts still exceed last years. and for
two weeks have been 1901 9g2 bushels
AGAINST 3,G3G7l5 last year, while tne At
lnutic exports. -four included This week,
little smaller than a year ago, hnve
boon for two weeks 2.92l J97 bushels.
against 35l0.l52 last year.
Corn is n shade iirmcr without apparent
reason and cotton maintained l-l6 nd
vance, although the prospect Of yield this
year IL at least as good as It has been at
any time.
Failures for tho week have been 300 IN
the United states. against 2G6 last year,
and 90 IN Canada, against n last year.