The record-union., 1897-03-20
WEEKLY REVIEW OF TRADE.
IRREGULAR TRADING A DISTURB
mo ELEnENT.
No Change in the Demand and Sup
ply, Except a Request for Cheaper
Grades of Goods.

NEW YORK, March 19.-Bradstreet's
tomorrow will say: Another week Of
irregular trading brings an element of
disturbance in the outlook for a fight
over the new tariff bill and the disap-
pointment among manufacturers of
wooden goods, silks, cutlery and other
lines at various tariff schedules. Spring
trade in jobbing lines is over, collections
are slow and at many points there is
no change in demand or supply, except
a request for cheaper grades of goods.
The threatened overf1ows in the GEN.
trail Mississippi Valley have restricted
the country order trade and rain and
high water have exercised a similar
influence in the Ohio Valley and in
South Atlantic and Gulf States. The
movement Of general merchandise is
also checked at the Northwest by un-
favorable weather.
The demand for cotton goods is dis
appointing, and manufacturers have
moved some lines only at concessions
in price. Iron and steel industries APP
pear less likely to expand in the near
future. Practically lower prices for
Bessemer pig and billets seem to have
been the result of speculative over pur-
chasing at the late revival in expecta-
ton of an advance, which has not
shown itself.
Delay in fixing lake ore prices has
also had an influence. There is less
demand for American iron and steel for
export, particularly for northern pro-
duct.
At most of the larger centers the feel
ing is stronger among merchants at the
prospect for continued improvement in
trade, yet the increase in volume of
business in dry goods, groceries, hats
and clothing, compared with preceding
weeks, and with the like week in pre-
vious years, does not equal anticipa-
tions.
NEW YORK, March 19.-R. G. Dun
& Co.'S Weekly Review of Trade to-
morrow will say:
Though steadily increasing, business
is still much below it's volume in for
mer years of prosperity, and many ex-
press disappointment, yet there is
some gain every week, with more hands
at work and more mills in operation.
and the sure result, large purchases for
consumption, cannot be long delayed.
In some branches it is felt already.
There is larger distribution of finished
products, and the demand for CONNER
cial loans has sharply increased, eSpe-
cially in dry goods and the iron and
steel branches. The progress Of the iron
and steel industry is hindered by I'M
certainty regarding the cost of like ore
for the coming year.
c raporfe cd that Nory-ia ora ic 50 ~
which will be taken as the basis, which
ores, but until the question has been
settled many important transactions
are deferred. While there is no great
activity in finished products, the de-
mand steady increases. Contracts for
several great buildings at Chicago are
pending, and for a good many bridges
and other railroad works, and the de-
mand for wire nails and for wire does
not abate, nor the demand for black
sheets required in tin plate manufac-
ture. Tin tends lower at 1885, with
heavy receipts and weaker London quo
tations. Lead is inactive at 3.37 cents,
and copper is weaker, although the
trif1ing decrease in production in this
country is practically balanced by the
small increase in production elsewhere.
The buying of wool, mainly of a spec
ulative character, in expectation of new
duties, continued remarkably large
Sales at three chief markets for the
past week were 1O,9S1 900 pounds and
for three weeks have been %, 795, 800
pounds, of which 16,62S,2OO were do
mestic, whereas, the largest transac-
lions in any previous year at this sea-
son were 17,1O5,675 pounds in the cor
responding weeks of 1892, of which H.
SS6626 were domestic. No great in
crease has yet appeared in the demand
for goods, although a few more mills
have found enough orders to start in
anticipation of future demand The
expectation of new duties does not yet
might be expected.
The demand for wheat has not given
much help to the speculation Atlantic
exports have been only ], 263, 900 BUSH
els, against 1,199.335, flour included,
for the corresponding week last year,
while Western receipts have been only
1897 ,345 bushels, against 2,416,O00 last
year. Accounts regarding the coming
crop have been less favorable this week
and the price has advanced rs cents.
Failures for the week have been 216
in the United States, against 261 last
year, and so in Canada, against 40 last
wear