Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-10-01
A LIGHTER DEMAND.
Trade In Staple Lines Shows a
Falling Of.
THE CHECK DUE TO VARIOUS CAUSES.
Fever Quarantine Brings business to
Standstil In the South-ImDOrts
of Gold by England and
France Are Heavy.
New York, Sept. 2s.--Bradstreet's

New York, Sept. 25.--Bradstreet's
Gays:
''There is a check to the inward sweep Of
demand in staple lines noticeable through
out the country for the past six weeks. The
yellow fever quarantine, which extends
from Texas to Georgia, has brought whole
sale business to practical standstlll
throughout the greater portion of the re-
gion embraced by the gulf states. At CEN
tiers of distribution in eastern, middle and
central western states, the recent activity
in dry goods. hats and hardwars had fallen
off, but at the northwest and on the Pacifc
coast buying by interior merchants and the
free distribution of merchandise continue
to be features Demand for heavy textile
fabrics has been stimulated by colder
weather, and st. Louis merchants say the
yellow fever scare will have no effect upon
trade at that city, as southern merchants
had supplied themselves there before the
quarantine was enforced. The outlook for
business in parts of Texas, Arkansas. Ten
nessee and Georgia is for much duller
season than had been expected. Favorable
features Of the week are found In sharp adj
ivances in prices for iron and steel, heavy
sales of Bassemer pig iron. steel billets and
rails and a prospect that iron and steel
prices will go higher in the near future.
Wool is also higher and wooden goods for
1898 delivery are up ten and 10 per cent,
with the outlook favoring a further adj
vance. The increased volume of general
trade is also stimulated by the continu-
uous heavy movement of cereals to
tide water, the almost unprecedented large
quantities exported each week and the IN
creased number Of people finding employ
ment in industrial and commercial lines as
compared with year ago together with
the tendency of gold to come here from
abroad"
Dun's Review.
r. G.. Dun & Co., in their weekly re-
view of trade, say:
Gold imports have begun direct from
England and France, besides the arrival OF
100000 at San Francisco from Australia
for wheat exported. The gold received
there and started for Europe amounts to
SO. 900 in two days, and the advance Of
Its rates by the Bank of England to Ha per
cent. seems little likely to check the
movement, In view of heavy merchandise
balances due to this country and rise in
the rate of interest here The August ex-
cess of merchandise and specie exports
over imports was not far from $4,000 900,
and the September excess will evidently
be larger, unless shipments of gold are
considerable. Merchandise exports from
New York in three weeks Of September
have been 1873 per cent over last years and
imports 1871 per cent. less, and like changes
on the whole trade for the month would re-
suit in net exports of s53, O0O. 900 merchandise.
besides silver.
Markets Uncertain.
'Produce markets have been uncertain,
closing a fraction higher for both wheat
and corn, while the decline in cotton con-
tinues. With 81 cents paid for spot at the
end of August, cotton has dropped ~
cents or is per cent. In less than four weeks,
in spite of remarkable revival Of manu-
facture. Fever in some southern cities has
not been largely influential and the main
factor has been general impression that
estimates are as misleading as they were
when the yield was the greatest on record.
The corn estimate most credited by the
trade Is only 1,75o,O00.0O0 bushels, but is
coupled with figures tending to show
surplus from the last crop Of 10000, 900
bushels over ordinary consumption. Were
this quite believed, the price would not be
rising, although exports continue heavy,
in three weeks 9,927.s4s bushels, against
8,150.1S7 last year. Wheat has gained q
fraction for the week. While Atlantic ex-
ports, -four included, for three weeks have
been 12,49s,1S1 bushels, against 61S3,743 last
year. Western receipts are exceeding last
year, and foreign estimates now agree in
making the probable requirement from this
country over 100, 900 900 bushels greater than
last year.
Puts Thousands to Work.
THE official ending of the western coal
strike adds many thousand men to
lie WorhiiiS loTce III the mines ana others
IN manufactures using bituminous coal.
The anthracite strike has substantially
ended and no extensive labor disturbance
IS threatened. The output Of coke is now
l25,00o tons, and the price is also advanced
Some branches Of the iron and steel In
dustry are clearly no longer able to keep
up with their new orders. Others are very
fully employed for some months ahead,
and with all the demand is increasing. The
structural work is behind orders, tin
plate mills are hindered by failure to get
sheet bars delivered fast enough plate and
sheet mills find heavy demand everywhere,
and bars are In great demand for cars at
the west; with vastly improved demand
and shade better prices at the east. The
| average advance of iron and steel products
from the lowest point is 8.2 per cent.
Wool sales at Boston have decreased
quarter, but manufacturers are still I'M
able to find profits In goods with wool at
present prices. Reported sales OF wool
are more than double those Of the most
| prosperous years. but the rise In prices
renders the future more doubtful, except
for manufacturers having heavy supplies
| laid In. The cotton mills are doing large
| business, although recent buying of goods
has naturally decreased after the recent
| rush,
Failures for the week have been 200 in
| the United States. against 8l5 last year
| and 2S In Canada. against 20 Ia ar VEG = '