The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-04-17
WEEKLY TRADE REVIEW.
HxD FFFECr ON BUSINESS or THE
TURCO-o RECISN HOSTiLiTfES.
The Grain Market Greatly Ancctcd-Eiso
In vhcat-output of Zig Iron In-
cicasinc-Ihe Cotton Trade.

in bushes this week. Actual fighting
with facts which seem TO make formal
declaration of war by Turkey inevitable
have affected grain markets much and
stocks slightly. The progress OF Missis-
sipp. floods does not change the price OF
cotton ana the settlement OF the more i'm
portant labor difficulties decreased in
exports and large increase In imports. al
New York, POS per cent. for the month.
caused questions about the hnacial future
which have not had much influence as
yet. The increase in imports 100000.
or over - per cent, from last year. and
Sls.io10OO or 2S.9 per cent. from February.
II long continued may embarass some
branches Of business but csh hardly cX-
haust balances remaining from the UNI
precedonted excess Of merchandise inn
ports SS23.3Nl5l9 IA nine months ending
with March.
WHEAT MARKET RISES
The wheat market after its decline Of
D cents last week. was prepared TO rise
with prospects Of European war and con-
tinucd purchases fov export and has
risen 431 cents since last Friday. EX-
ports for the week are very small and for
two weeks but little greater than last year
while corn exports continue over three
times last years and for { wo weeks
60320n bushels. against S63l 1913 last year.
The price advancing less than ] cent.
Western receipts Of wheat are larger for
The week and for two weeks as large as
last year and the government report
indicate a considerable larger yield than
that Of 1896 which has sufiiccd to meet
an extraordinary demand, Cotton has
scarcely changed during the week OF
unprecedented floods though this year's
crop will b. materially diminished unless
water soon subsidies But thero arS INi-
merous indications that i'm other parts
Of the South a large acreage IS beng
planled.
THE IRON TRADE.
The outpst OF pig iron increases though
four furnaces stopped in Marcn. bat otE-
ers with larger capacity startei. and TIE
weekly production April l. was 1929 tons
against 1895 last year. While 20 per
cent below tho greatest ever known.
the output is - ger cent. larger than &C.
tohcr LIST and stocks unsOld increased
scarcely any. though the largest on f4c-
ord The demand for laus and wire
continues heavy and in spite Of ltige
transactions I'm the past IN structural
works. and rails Is repOr-ri, while there
/ smuch doing In machinery for export to
Russia. Japan and SCUM Africa. Put
bars and most other finished products tfe
In narrow demand and Bessemer pig Is
lower al $3.50 or less at Pitts'Hrg N1.h
Grey Forge $3.50 there and only S.1j 4
Birmingham. Delay in making contracts
FOR Lake ore retards demand for products
hut hard ore has begun 20 sell at 81 40 for
Chaplin.
Tin-plate makers have agreed upon $3.50
for fun weight Bessemer against $3.50 for
foreign. Lead is unchanged At $3.50
and copper at II 10
The great sale Of 1900 pieces Of cotton
goods was considered satisfactory as
prices averaged but five TO eight per cent.
below the current market and better
general demand is expected Print
cloths sell slowly without change.
Speculation iu wool turns largely to
Foreign and imports of 45.lli bales the
past week and l5.2iG the previous week
az Boston alone have not prevented high
or quotations for the better grades of
domestic Sales at the three chief mar
heis were 1900. coo pounds.
Failures for the week have been 2O7
an the United States against 222 last
year and 30 in Canada against 80 last
year
BRADSTREETS VIEW.
NEW YORK, April l6.-Bradstreet's
tomorrow Will say:
The most conspicuous improvement in
trade conditions this week is in the
weather throughout Central Western and
Northwestern States, where country road
ways are more passabe. There is a bet
ter demand FOR building materials partic-
ularly lumber. In staple lines there IS a
more active request at Portland. Ore:
Minneapolis. MINI, and st. Paul. Mimi
Kansas City Mo-. and Atlanta. Ga,
pointing TO irregularity of the tendency
TO recover Jobbers at Chicago. ST. Louis,
Omaha. Cincinnati. and Chattanooga. re-
port trade slow. or that demand Is in
There ie M lfo ~ 10
I'm the flooded regions. where the danger
point has moved southwark. If the water
Tecedes by May 18th, only half the usual
cotton crop may be raised IN Arkansas
ana Mississippi this year. but the outlook
is not promising.
Demand for dry goods is slow, and
some manufacturers remain at work
without profits as the lesser OF the two
evils Demand for wool is checked. as
stockr are badly cut, but makers Of
wooliens are as active as before Shoe
manufacturers are working fun time.
Iron and steel continue disappointing.
with lower prices for Bessemer pig ard
for billets few. II any new orders. and
g. tendency TO weakness rather ,han the
IeNtfse.
A reverse movement IS noted In the
prices for staples. those for wheat Hour,
wheat. Indian corn, pork, lard. coffee, cot
ton. and woollens having advanced. Low
or quotations are reported for sugar, pc
troleum. naval stores, in addition 10 iron
ana steel. Exports of wheat (fiour IN
clLded as wheaO include one day less
this week than usual
The total from both coasts and from
st. John. n. b., Is $4,000 bushels for
live days. compared with 2.OS6OW bushels
in six days Of the preceding week;
2.0ls0o bushels in the week a year ago;
$4,000 bushels two years ago; 3,OlSOOO
bushels three years ago. and as compared
with S.oSs.}oo bushels in the Ike week OF
leg5.
SHIPMENTS OF CORN.
Total shipments OF Indian corn,
amounting 10 232S. ass bushels this week,
form the smallest weekly aggregate In
tho current calendar. The corresponding
total last week was s645.ooO bushels; In
the second week OF April, 1896, II was
100000 bushels; In 1895 71S.0o0 bushels
2Os0OoO IN 1894, and 694 900 bushels in the
corresponding week OF 1895
There Is "a marked decrease IN the totaI
number OF business failures throughout
the United States the total. 1875 this week
compared with 252 last week. 4i In the
week a year ago. 30 two years ago and I
l2 In the corresponding week OF 1894; as
oontrasted with 2l7 in the second week or
April !. 1898. just Before the panic.
The total number OF business failures
throughout the Canadian dominion is 80
This week, against 80 last week. "a In the
week a year ago. and % two years ago.
Rank clearlngs at Winnipeg. Hamilton,
Toronto. Montreal and Halifax amount