The age-herald., 1897-12-25
WEEKLY REVIEW OF TRADE
Remarkably Large Holiday Busi-
 ness Is Shown.
LARGEST FOR FIVE YEARS
Demand For Products Shows an Unexpected Increase in Several Important Branches
 foreign Trade Is Satisfactory.

New York, Dec. 24.-R. G. Dun & Co.'S. weekly review of trade will say today:
 The weekly reports show a remarkably large holiday trade, at many points the largest for five years. Moreover, the sea- son when wholesale business usually sllrinks, the pressure of demands for inn mediate deliveries which results from un- precedented distribution to consumers, keeps many establishments with work that usually begins their yearly rest-spell some what earlier. Instead of decreasing the de- mand for products they show an unex- pected increase in several important branches. Foreign trade continues satisfac- tory, even in comparison with the remarka- ble record of a year ago when exports eX- ceeded SLY, ,OOO 900 in December. Commercial failures for the month have been less than half last years to the same date. The out going flood of grain is not checked by Chi go speculation. though more corn than wheat has been moving. Wheat exports, flour included, have been 3,69S,321 bushels for the week against 1,546,443 a year ago, and in foua weeks b, 766 S95 bushels against 9,039,5H last year, while corn exports for the week were 4,57OS2S bushels against 1,751, TAO last year. have been in four weeks 14,420,151 against S,176,O73 last year. Wheat has varied little, closing cents higher for the week after deliveries of surprising mag nitude at Chicago and corn closes nearly a cent higher
 Cotton has also been moving largely and has risen a sixteenth.
 Cotton goods have further declined in prices of bleaohed, which meet active southern competition and the Fall River spinners insist upon a reduction of one ninth in wages, other New England mills joining. Out ot 101 New England works foTty-five have passed dividends, fourteen at Fall River, with fifteen others paying per cent. for the last quarter. The fall in the price of cotton when mills were holding heavy stocks of goods placed this industry in a most embarrassing position.
 Wool is more firm, traders having dis posed of 3,3OO,00 pounds to the territory and 100000 pounds other domestic at Boston, and sales at three cities reached 7,SO9, 100 pounds There is stronger demand for iron and its products, Bessemer rising to $1O and gray forge to s9 at Pittsburg, and the Eastern Bar association has advanced the price to Il cents for refined and 1.O215 for common. Owing to positive changes in freight rates, southern pig is offered at 2.5O lower. striking feature is the un- usual demand for the season in building cars, of which 5000 have been ordered at Chicago by one trunk line, and rails there have advanced to $20, with sales here of 5000 tons for home use and 2,00O tons for Mexico. Building contracts in unusual number for the season come up, also con tracts for three drainage canals at Chi cago. The Illinois Steel Works have eight months bushes booked, with more orders offering. Pipe is dull and weak, but rods are quite active, and billets have advanced about 50 cents Anthracite coal is 10 cents stronger with colder weather. Tin is slight ly weaker, owing to large shipments.
 Failures for the week have been 292 in the United States against 297 last year, and 33 in Canada against A last year.