The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-15
IMPROVEMENT IS STEADY
r. G. Dun & Co.'s Weekly Review
of Trade.
ALL OF THE SIGNS ARE HOPEFUL

Every Reason for Better Feeling I'm Bus
iness-The Industrial Situation Devoid
of Those Elements Which Involve Mis-
understandings-Mone Market Contin-
ues Favorable-The Speculation I'm Wool
Continues-Business Reverses.
New York, March 15.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'S Weekly Review of Trade says: 1t
is a curious illustration of human ma
ture this continued encouragement,
even while the increase of productive
industries and of legitimate business
steadily grows No genuine or lasting
improvement could come otherwise than
slowly and step by step after such
depression as the past four years have
witnessed, and the most hopeful feature
of the situation is that the gain is so
nearly devoid of elements which involve
unsoundness and probable reaction.
The first step toward prosperity is to
get the wheels started and the hands
employed and the number of works
which have resumed or increased their
forces during he>past week seems great
er than in any other week since Novem-
ber While the start has been secured
in many cases by contracts at extreme
low prices, involving some reduction In
wages, the hands are earning more even
SO, and aid more in the general recov-
cry than If not working at all. and thus
far important strikes have been avoided
in many cases, though some are still
threatened.
Money Markets Favorable.
The money markets continue especial
ly favorable to industrial recovery, and
there is no such speculative epidemic
as to lock up an excessive share of avail
| able capital The annual statements OF
wheat in farmers hands March 1 have
not in the least stimulated speculation
Those commonly considered worthy oi
| attention indicate the farmers anc
commercial supplies together, 196,OOO,OO'
| to 2O6 900 900 bushels, exceed the esti
mated home demand, 130, 900. 900 bushels
to July /, by much more than the quan
| tity likely to be wanted for export II
view of the continued outgo OF corn
amounting for the past two weeks Z
6.S94, 1888 bushels, against 1851, ,415 bush
| els last year. Wheat exports from Tn
Atlantic ports in two weeks have bee
.747 bushels, against 2,g2l ,Os1 ousn
els last year. Western receipts are bu
3.451, 1863 bushels for the two weeks
against 4, 567, 1892 bushels last year, an
they are still so large for the season q
, to discredit alarms about speedy exhaus
ton Of the supply. The price has dC
clined 3h cents for the week and cor
Is a fraction lower.
Cotton is not active, though a si'
teenth higher, for the curtailment
consumption by many mills does m
help prices in the least, nor does II
suspension of print-cloth reports, ar
dealers so generally hold back orde
| for other goods, that the tone is weak.
The Wool situation.
The speculation in wool continues, ar
! sales for the two weeks have been IL
9o3. 900 pounds Of which 9,921,7 700 poun'
were domestic; whereas the largest pr
vious sales for the same period we
12O17 67e pounds in 1892, of which S,369
, 426 pounds were domestic. While the
is much trade between dealers, mani
facturers show by purchasing far b
vond their wants the belief that larg
business is coming.
! Iron furnaces March 1 were produ
ing 1859. $50 tons weekly, 1927 tons or
L.
! though visible stocks have Increased 81
O24 tons in four weeks, still more fu
; naces have started this month. The
mand for finished products still la
e behind supply of pig-iron, except in {
great steel works whose stocks are
: reported, but their orders without dou
cover full production for several montf
e Bessemer pig is a shade lower, but
: other change in EQUATIONS appears. a.
y there is a gradual in crease in the q
mand for plates, sheets, and all the w
nroducts. With the advent of spri
r. weather and outdoor work much me
II business expected. The starting OF I
r. Maryland rail works under contra
: with the Carnegie company, In order
Il make shipments by water more chea
Is ly, is significant. Failures for the p'
a week have been 256 in the United stat
is against 300 last year, and 61 in Cana'
) against so last year.