The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-23

gust and represented great replenish-
ment of stocks and the similar rush for
goods has been correspondingly great in
other lines during the past two months.
In iron and steel and in boots and shoes
there was actual danger of a speculative
imitation of prices such as were sen in
1885, but 1t has been avoided apparently
for this season by the solid sense of lead
ing men who regard time of compare
tive quiet as essential to the coming
and psrmanence of prosperity in their
lines AS the buying for replenshment
is partly satisfied and diminishes there
is some decrease in the volume of trans
actions, though at the same time the
working fierce has further increased the
wages of labor have been in numerous
cases advanced and the foundation laid
more broadly every week for larger buy
ing and business hereafter.
The iron industry waits. because pos
sible production for the year has been
practically ordered while neither buyers
nor sellers regard contracts at current
prices for next years business as quits
safe. Bessemer pig is q shade weaker at
5000, and grey forgesat $3.50 at Pitts
burg, while billets richard to get at any
price, owing to the stoppage of only two
works of moderate size, so much has the
current demand come to exceed produc-
ton. Sales of warrant pig iron at Phila-
delphia % cents below Is not in fact
decline. New business in finished
products Is almost of necessity smaller
since manufacturing works are nearly
all full for months ahead the plate mills
at the west so full that they could not
compete at all for three Rockefeller YES
sells requiring $500 tons EACH The d.
time, and contracts for East River
bridge for numerous new buildings and
railway bridges are still pending.
The coke output has risen no 145,03S
tons weekly, and is the largest known for
years. Anthracite coal is sold for $4.15
in New York harhor, 20 cents below the
circular, and conservative estimates
make the years. output 4,050,00O tons.
metals is a sensational collapse in lead
of 80 points, with SALTS of 5000 tons.
THE severe decline of cotton to 6.12
cents from S.25 cents Aug. 80, is due to
Widespread confidence in large estimates
in yield. A natural Consequence is the
fall i'm print cloths to the lowest point in
the history OF the market, 2.37 CENTS, and
cotton goods GENERALLY are easy, with
limited sales of staples. All wooden goods
are firm, but there lis no new business of
note for spring outside of dress goods.
Sales of wool have sharply decreased
again ait Boston, amounting to only g.
493, 900 pounds, against over 100000
pounds the last week in September and
THE week was the dulest since Jan. Z.
Some large offerings were made to real
ize profits before prices fall, but quota
lions remained unchanged, because even
at 1sc decline buyers were not disposed to
take hold
The produce market acted with as lit
tie apparent reason as usual. Although
Atlantic exports of wheat were 3,576,6N
bushels, flour Included, and for three
weeks of October 1O,Oss,sOS bushels.
against 7,742.214 bushels last year, with
western receipts not half a million BUSH
els larger, the price advanced 21ac.
Corn, with SMALLER receipts and ex-
ports, barely a quarter of last year. de-
c1ined small fraction.
Failures for the week were 224 in the
United States against 274 last year, and
Sc in Canada against go la-sa year.