The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-03-03
FEELING ITS WAY.
Trade Shows Gradual But Encourag-
ing Improvement.

New York, Feb. 27.-R. G. Dun & Co.,
in their weekly review of trade. say:
Genuine Improvement in business does
not come with rush, like the breaking of
a great dam. The growth for some weeks
past has been more encouraging, because
In nearly all lines 1t has been gradual and
moderate. The rupture Of the steel rail
and other combinations in the iron BUSH
ness has brought out a vast quantity of
trade which has been held back and has
set many thousand men at work, while the
slow but steady gain in other great in
duStries has given employment to many
thousand more, but the full effects will
not appear until the increased purchases
by all these swell the distribution of goods
This comes more slowly and later but is
already apparent.
1t Is not to be expected that the excess
OF exports over imports will continue as
large in January as it had been IN pre-
Vious months, and yet 1t was surprisingly
large. The February returns have natu-
rally been less favorable, as cotton exports
fall off at this season, and yet the decrease
compared with last year is trifing, while
the increase In imports, to be expected at
this season, has amounted during the past
three weeks to only $629, 040
Nothing is yet settled about the price
OF lake ore for the coming season, but
some expect for Mesaba the price Of 1895,
while others expect lower price, either
O~iiiS DIT iccSl ~ per cent. lower imam the
price or last year. The rapid increase in
coke output in the Connellsville region
which is now over 100000 tons, gives pros
pect of moderate cost for fuel and the adj
dition of important furnaces to the pro-
ducfng capacity prevents a large rise in
Bessemer pig, which has nevertheless adj
Vanced ten cents at Pittsburgh with in
creasing demand. Purchases of rails, es-
timated at 100000 tons within two weeks,
whereas the production last year was L.
1872 tons. and the sales said to be only
100000 insure employment for the works
far ahead, and eastern works are taking
desirable contracts at SIS per ton.
with less rapidity but yet steadily.
other industries are gaining. Although
brown courtyard sheetings are an eighth
lower and print cloths a sixteenth lower,
it is found that several cotton mills are
started, not covered by the restriction as
to print cloth works, which is carried out.
Increasing demand has also started quite
number of wooden mills including many
making dress goods and hosiery. The de-
mand for mems woolens is also somewhat
better, especially for heavy weights, and
there are improving sales OF better quail
ties.
Wheat enjoyed brief rise, then dropped
over cents, and closed 25s lower for the
week. While western receipts are 40 per
cent. smaller than last year, for the past
four weeks, Atlantic exports, flour included,
in the same weeks have been $50, Ais BUSH
els, against 7,043,5 last year. and the
exports of corn have been S,435552 BUSH
els, against 4,195,2S2 bushels last year.
Railroad earnings in three weeks of
February have been SIS per cent. larger
than last year, but S.S per cent smaller
than in 1892. Chicago east-bound tonnage
in three weeks of February has been 1885,
$40, against $40 last year, and 220, 81 in
1898. Exchanges through principal clear
ing houses have aged for February 7.6
per cent. less than last year, but these re-
turns by no means fairly represent the
volume of new business. Failures for the
week have been 296 in the United States,
against 27S last year, and so in Canada,
against So last year"
DenOunces Indecent Publications.
Washington, Feb. 25.-The president
has delivered a most scathing criticism
upon indecent newspaper publications
in denying a pardon to James b. Wilson,
sentenced in December, 1895, in Indiana
to two years imprisonment for mailing
obscene newspapers. The president
says:
'This convict was one Of the editors and
proprietors and a distributor through the
mails and otherwise of disgustingly vile
and obscene newspaper His conviction
and sentence was an event distinctly tend
ing to the promotion Of public morals and
the protection of the sons and daughters Of
our land from filth and corruption at
time when indecent newspaper publica-
tons are so dangerous and common.
Everybody in favor of cleanliness should
encourage the punishment of such Of
fenses and desire that it should be more
frequently imposed. While 1 am much sur
prised by the number of respectable peo-
pie who have joined in urging clemency in
al1 hat
not in the least tempted to interfere with
the just and wholesome sentence of the
court"
To Cut Down Expenses.
Indianapolis, Ind, Feb. &c. = The
Adams, American and National Elk
press companies have decided to