The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-12-22
REVIEW OF TRADE.


ur0etcsL EVor hnOWn.
r. q. Dun e. Co.'S Weekly Review Of
Trade" reports for last week:
Close to Its annual holiday halt the
business of the year Is surprisingly
large. Payments through banks are
again 2.5 per cent. larger than In 1892
heretofore the year Of greatest prosper
ity: the production of iron and woolens
and boots and shoes Is larger than ever
before. exports eclipse all past records
and failures for the two weeks have
been the smallest for the correspond
Ing weeks In flve years. Treasury re-
ceipts show steady increase for the
first half of December over previous
months both in customs and internal
revenue. and heavy payments to the
Government on Union Pacific account
caused but slight stringency in the
money markets with preparation for
large cancellation of bonds. The news
OF the week Is the rise of merchandise
exports In four months being s2s9 9212,-
fO1, while In half of December exports
are nearly as large and imports s25o0.-
COO smaller than last year. when the
excess OF export was S5S.205, 1866. Prob
ably all records are surpassed by the
exports FOR this year, which have been
Ss1f6OO.OOO for II months, and the ex-
cess over imports In five months has
probably exceeded $3.50 1000 900.
The output of pig iron December
was the greatest ever known, 226.024
tons. against 2l3,159 tons November 1
ana 2lI.3O6 tons In November, 1895. the
highest point heretofore. Unsold stocks
also decreased In November 29.652 ton,
indicating consumption OF about $50 600
tons weekly during the month. Besse-
iner declined In the face OF such pro-
duction 1Oc and gray forge 25c at Pitts
burg
"The demand was on the whole
greater. and unusual structural con-
tracts were placed. with sales of 10 900
tons OF steel rails at New York, the
largest orders ever booked by the Min
ois Steel Company. IT is said, and unex-
pectedly heavy business in plates.
Much buying also resulted from ex-
pectation of the wire consolidation. in
Guiding 10000 tons Bessemer and 10 900
tens billets at Plt;sburg. No reaction
Genes i'm copper, and exports for the
month are estimated at 10000 tons but
In plates slightly stronger. The coke
| production was 1J9,y25 tons, with con-
| tracts making for the coming yeart at
81 90. and anthracite coal was weaker
| at 81 75 here
Wheat Is just now the backbone of
| foreign relations, the Atlantic exports
| In two weeks having been (flour in
cludeD 7,SS0,942 bushels, against Sab
| 6f' bushels last year. while receipts
rose to 1890. 12s bushels. against $685.
| 3S2 bushels last year The price gained
fraction in spite of the speculative
| decline in Chicago. Corn exports con-
tinue to exceed last years in two
weeks 6,262,s49 bushels, against 5.07i,-
626 bushels last year, which Is a par
ticularly significant feature. The price
rose but fraction, and receipts in the
| two weeks were S.023,00l bushels,
against 5.4491Sl bushels last year.
Corn exports are over 1000, 900 bush
els larger than last week, aggregating
4.129.SIS bushels. against 2,Si4. $50 bush
| els In this week n year ago, 2.0j7. 100
bushels i'm 1895. 65S.0O0 bushels in 1894
| and $685. 900 bushels In 1898.
Business failures show rather
smaller than usual holiday total.
oggregating 2S3. against 292 last week,
| 359 In the week a year ago. $50 In 1895,
500 in 1894 and 1853 in 1893. Canadian
failures this week number i3. against
% last week. 80 In the week year ago
and AZ in the year 1896"