The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-12
PRICES LOWER THAN EVER.
mo Outlook Not Good: EXCEPT for
Wheat. Which L. Rising

New York. April 19.-Bradstreet's tcmor-
row viii say: While there is no general
increase in business. there are several en-
couraging features. The frs, is the ad-
vance IN prices Of Hour, wheat, corn. oats
pork and sugar. together with that for
steel oiiiets and beams and other iron ana
steel products. The advance in wheat has
continued SO much longer than expected
fnat the trade is again discussing the
likelihood OF this being the beginning OF the
fong-iooked-for advance for cereals which
they believed must come after the extreme
depression of the past few years. Unfavor-
able crop reports from Central Western
states. confirmation OF previous short crop
reports from Argentine and Australia,
small supplies in Europe and afioat there
for, but above all, revival of speculation
in wheat. are underneath prices. Brad
streets exhibit OF the comparative prices
or los staple articles. including live stock,
shows higher quotations for 2S products on
April !, 1896. compared with IS which are
lower and Is which are unchanged in con-
trast with quotations on January /. Con-
trasted with one year ago there are in
creases Of quotations for IS items, while
are unchanged and ~ are lower.
Exports of wheat. -four included as
wheat, both coasts of the United States,
amount to l,7s4 900 bushels this week, COM
pared with 1853 600 last week and 1884, 900
in the same week last year. Indian corn
exports amount to 1.ssl.00O bushels this
week. compared with 2.1s9.0o0 last week
and $4,000 In the week one year ago.
Business failures In the United States
this week number 2al. compared with IS
last week and 225 in the week q year ago.
Dun's Review of Trade.
r. q. Dun & Co.'S weekly review Of
trade. which issues tomorrow. will say:
The volume OF business has not on the
whole increased. nor have prices appre-
ciably advanced since April 1. When the
range for all commodities was the lowest
ever known in this country. Breadstuffs
and iron products have risen slightly, but
some other articles have declined. and the
root of the matter is that the demand for
consumption is still below expectations.
The weather has not favored active distri-
button of spring goods.
The injury done TO winter wheat by
storms and frosts at the West would APP
pear. from reports OF state officers. to have
been considerable. Remarkably low esti-
mates of condition are reported by state
authorities, which tend to lessen pur-
ehases OF farmers and of dealers IN farm
ing districts. The reports are more gloomy
than year ago, and the quantity of wheat
which has come from farms since August
has been l6S Isl .5a4 bushels. against 49,
0.s. 40 at the same date last year. Western
receipts for the week are about 90 per
cent larger than last year. and for two
weeks about 20 per cent. while Atlantic
exports, -four included. have been for the
week @9,055 bushels. against 1.759.up5 last
year. decrease Of nearly half. These
conditions tend to check the advance,
which reached cents. but was followed by
a reaction of cent. Corn rose &c, with
wheat, on account Of small stocks.
The billet pool has raised the price Of
pig iron and steel. and yet finished pro-
ducts have gained scarcely anything, nor
mas the demand for them increased. Prices
for lead ore are increased. as expected,
81 higher than last year. and the coke COM
b.nation makes no reduction. but gradu-
ally lessons the output. While purchases
of pig TO anticipate future wants have
been heavy, actual consumption is but
moderate. Minor metals are dull but
lead is weaker, at sS.05 on forced sales Ia
the West.
Wool is weaker. with the sales for the
week only 2.sS2c,5dD pounds at the three
chief markets. the smallest for many
years. Prices tend lower except for fine
washed fieeces. and manufacturers are
rapidly reducing production.
Failures for the past week have been
% in the United States. against ao7 last
year. and q IN Canada, against y last year.
Bank Clearancos.
The following table, compiled by Brad
streets, shows the total ciearances at the
principal cities and the percentage Of in
crease or decrease. as compared with the
corresponding week last year: