Birmingham state herald., 1897-06-19
MORE ENCOURAgyxG TRADE Reported for the }Sveek by Dun
 and BradStreet. A HEAVY IRON MOVEMENT Vii Birmingham Figuring Prominently in the Deals-Heavy Demand for Print Cloths
 Failures for the Week.

New York, June 1S.-R. G. Dun & Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow will say: The retardng influence of cold and unreasonable weather has passed. The gain in business in spite of it, which was seen a week ago, has become clearer to all AS no genuine improvement ever be- gins with an uplifting of prices before the producing force has become fairly employed, this does not, and the buying of 1000 bales of Australian wool by one Boston house and 100000 tons pig iron by Wall street operator and advancing prices for stocks, are only proof that the actual conditions are understood by some capable men. There is evidence of gradually enlarging business in every important department and many estab- lishments have been set at work and more hands employed and while pru- deEce still flinders speculative eXcesses, the progress towards better things is un- checked Reports from the various cities this week show a very general progress and a continued large distribution through retail trade. The proof is clearer as it should be in the industrial than in the trading field.
 Contracts providing for consumption of several millions tons iron ore have already been made, two million within the past fortnight it is believed, though ldSl year COHlIdClS OHly leIIHlndleu about two months ago. Bessemer ore Is selling lower by 20 to 30 cents than at the outset Biwabik at 225. against 255, but the heavy demand puts additional mines at work. The speculative pur- chases of 100, GOO tons of southern pig at $575 clears the deck for large business at peter figures, and sales at Chicago, 150,000 tons, have been the largest for eighteen months. Reaction after the sudden purchase of 50000 tons Bessemer of ffGlaa lfnT flaA x2ntAI z ton, but the heavy orders for bars there and for 50,000 tons at Chicago by the im- plement makers, with orders for many new buildings in the west, one of magni- tude at Philadelphia and one at New York, there are demands for plates and sheets, the order for twenty-two miles of pipe and the purchase of steel rails which have started the new Joliet works with good orders, are far more impor- tant than the speculation in materials. Coke production has increased 2,500,000 tons, nearly 21A per cent, without chang ing in price. Tin is strorge at $S.75. and the copper output in May larger than In any other munth this year, has. not yet lowered quotations, while lead is stronger.
 The d.mand for print cloths for the first time in many months has exceeded the weeks production and Ihe price has risen shade, while prints and other grades of cotton goods ars in slightly bet ter demand. There is more widely dis tributed business in wooens than was expected. Clo.hiers are buying, and as they come late, are in haste Some east ern mills have been in the market, but the bulk of the purchases of wool has again been by specuclative houses al Bos, on, where almos 100000 900 pounds were sold against 6,551 300 at New York and Phila delphia. Western operators still pay more than eastern prices warrant
 In produce markets the year draws towards a close with slightly Tonger pricss for corn owing to heavy foreign buying, and i'm cotton owing to better foreign demand and new encouraging crop reports Nobody can count bales in June, but the outlook is so far favorable that few make estimates against the yefld exceeding 5000, 900 bales.
 Wheat rose cents, fell about as much, closed Ac higher for the week in spite of reduced wes ern receipts and Atlantic exports. Two weeks of June Atlantic ex- ports of wheat and flour have been equal to 4,977, ,653 bushels, against 6,21O,SS3 bush- els last year.
 Failures for the week have been 19S in the United States, agains 276 last year, and 36 in Canada, against 60 last year.