Iron County register., 1897-10-21
ouN.s COMMERCIAL REvIgw.

Signs of Improvement which Outweigh
HeSitation-Increasing Employment of
Labor with Further Accounts of Works
Opening. Increasing Their Force of
Hands or Raising Wages-The Trades
and Industries.
New YORK. Oct. 16.-R. G. Dun s.
Co. IS weekly review of trade says in
its issue to-day:
Foreign trade in September. the
heavy increase in iron production and
consumption, and the largest pay
ments through clearings ever known
in October, are indications which out
weigh hesitation in some markets
The increase in the employment of
labor has continued with further ac-
counts daily of works opening, .increas-
ing force of hands or raising of wages.
and at every point where actual pro-
duction can be tested it appears
greater than ever before.
Efforts by the Bank of England have
delayed further gold exports, but with
q cotton movement rising, large ship
ments to this side are deemed certain
and not distant More gold, however,
means less just now than more iron.
The output of pig iron October 1,
was 200, 12S tons weekly, against 112.-
152 year ago, the increase since July
[ having been % per cent.
Prices of pig hold steady, though
the production has been further in
creased since October 1, and prices OF
finished products gradually rise, with
especially heavy demand for plates,
rods and bars, while another contract
has been taken by the Illinois Steel
Co. to deliver so, 900 tons of steel rails
for Japan, and the Pennsylvania COM
pany has bought 35. 900 tons.
Ore shipments on the lake surpass
all records, and the Rockefeller COM
pany has contracted for another
steamer with two consorts to carry TO-
900 tons, the largest ever built for the
lakes. Makers of black sheets have
raised the price for No. 2S to So. 10 and
wire nails are five cents higher, the
average of iron and steel products ris-
ing per cent for the week to the high
est point since April s. Tin plates are
cheaper at $50. with enormous
production, and copper at IL. a cents
for lake with lead at s.. 10.
The cotton mills are producing as
largely as cheap cotton invites, and
with moderate demand print cloths
are low at 2.44 cents and some grades
of other goods are slightly reduced.
Sales of wool for speculation have
greatly decreased, but manufacturers
do not find that current prices are
warrented by their market for goods,
though it Is strong and advancing.
Sales of wool for two weeks have
been "a 331, 600 pounds at the three
s.,Fx = 1T :
domestic, and while quotations are
maintained large lots previously with
drawn by consigners are now offered.
The demand for spring goods is linn
tied. But the prices of some qualities
have advanced shade further.
Wheat has been fairly steady, but
moving more largely than last year
from the farms and from the country.
Western receipts were Is, 167, 054 bush
els in two weeks of October, against
14,235, O16 last year, and Atlantic ex-
ports g. 463. 4O1 bushels, flour included,
against 4,747.s last year, while corn
exports were 3, 262, 1897, against $500, 925
last year.
September exports of wheat surpass
all records, amounting to 25, S6S, Si8
bushels, against 1866, SIS last year,
owing to high prices. the value being
over 100 per cent. larger for all bread
stuffs. The price OF. wheat has declined
three-fourth of cent. and corn one
cent. with the government report of
a yield exceeding 1,sOO. 600, 600 BUSH
els. Cotton has declined t1ree-six-
teenths to 6.31 cents for spot.
Failures for the week have beeen 223
in the United States, against 32s last
year. and 80 in Canada against 40 last
year.