Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1897-05-29
The business Situation.

Business during the last week devel-
oped no general improvement. Slight
! betterment in trade was to be noted in Il
few departments, and increased dizziness
in others. Recent statements of bank
clearings and aggregate railroad earn
ings have indicated a moderately i'm
proved condition of trade; but business
moves within conservative limits in all
branches.
Gotten prices have advanced "a OF a
cent per pound, as result of crop un-
certainty, light receipts and stocks, and
a fair movement OF export. There has
been no improvement in the cotton goods
trade, and the demand for raw material
from manufacturers has continued mod
crate Prices of print cloths are at the
| lowest recorded level, which is discour-
/ aging to makers after the prolonged short
time movement which 50 recently ter
minated. Buyers OF staple cottsns con-
! tinue to operate only for actual wants,
or when they make oyertnres for future
deliveries they generally name prices
too low for acceptance. The wool trade
has become stagnant. Mills are loaded
up, and the incentive to further specu
lation in domestic woods has been re-
moved by the resumption OF import buy
| ing (Which had been checked for month
by the retroactive threat) and by the
senate changes in schedules, which have
lessened the margin Tor additional adj
vances in prices, Mills are fairly en-
ployed on orders but new buying of
wooden goods has continued moderate.
This il usual feature OF trade at this
stage of the season. Prices of wool man
ufactures are firm, and in some cases
slight ADVANCES have been obtained on
| late orders.
| Wheat prices have advanced 259 to rs
cents in Chicago and 2M to 4 cents on
the seabeard. The greater rise has been
in May deliveries at New York. A week
ago cash wheat i'll the latter market
brought premium OF III cents over the
! price OF July deliveries, The premium
| has since advanced to $50 cents. These
changes Indicate the effect of small
stocks Of actual wheat. There have been
similar developments in the Duluth
market, where the elevator interests
havs been squeezing the shorts in
May shipments. The crop news has
been on the whole more favorable, es-
pecially from the Northwest, where the
acreage in spring wheat has been in
creased and the start of the crop gives
encouragement to the expectation of a
large yield. There has been very fair
export demand for wheat: and this iact,
in connection with the strong statistical
position OF the old crop, reports of
moderate shortage in the French crop
yield, and the continued absence of com
petition with American wheat from
countries in the Southern hemisphere,
has helped to strengthen prices. There
has been considerable inquiry from ex-
porters for new crop shipments, and a
number OF cargoes have been reported
taken for September and October clear
ance.
Corn prices have advanced / to III
cents partly from sympathy with the
rise OF wheat. Values ST hog products
show but trihing changes. Western
packing continues on liberal scale; but
there is good domestic and an active
foreign trade. The Cincinnati Price
Current figures that the gain in exports
since March l has been 70 per cent in
meats and 30 per cent in lard as COM
pared with the movement in 1896, the
increase in the shipments ofmeats being
equal to the product of 10000 hogs
Philadelphia Record