Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-12-23
DuN.s coMMgRclAL REVIEW.

Large-WIth = Steady Increase OF Rev
enue All Branches OF Business and In
dustry Make Good showing, the Ag-
grssats EclIpsing that of 1s92, Hereto.
fore the Banner Year.
New YORK, Dec. 1S.-R. G. Dun &
| Co.'S weekly review of trade says in its
issue of to-day:
Close to its annual holiday and halt,
the business of the year is surprisingly
large. Payments through banks are
again 2. per cent larger than in 1892.
heretofore the year of greatest pros
| perity; the production of iron and
woolens and boots and shoes is larger
than ever before, exports eclipse all
past records. and failures for two
weeks have been the smallest for cor
responding weeks in five years.
The treasury receipts show steady
increase for the first half of December
over previous months, both in customs
and internal revenue. and heavy pay
mentS to the government on Union Pa
cific account caused but slight string
ency in money markets. with prepara-
tions for large cancellation of out
standing bonds.
The most weighty news of the week
| is the rise of merchandise exports in
November to SIG, $50, 800, the excess of
exports in four months being $780,
| 212, 401, while in half of December ex-
| ports are notable as larger and imports
| So. 500, 900 smaller than last year.
when the excess of exports was S5S,-
| 20a. S66. Probably all records are sur
passed by exports for this year, which
have been S974, 600, 900 in eleven
months, and the excess oyer imports in
five months has probably exceeded
| $3.50, 900, 600.
| The output of pig iron December ],
was the greatest ever known, 226, 024
tons, against 213, 159 November l, 1896.
and PIT, 500 in November, 1895, the
highest heretofore.
| Unsold stocks also decreased in No
vember 29,652 tons, indicating con-
sumption of about $50, 900 tonssweekly
during the month.
Bessemer declined in the face of such
production ten cents and gray forge IS
| cents at Pittsburgh. The demand was
on the whole, greater, and unusual
| structural contracts for the season
were placed, with sales of 10000 tons
steel rails at New York and the larg-
|
Steel Co., it is said, and unexpectedly
heavy business in plates. Much buy
ing also resulted from expectation of
the wire consolidation, including u.s.
600 tons bessemer and 10000 tons billets
at Pittsburgh.
| No reaction comes in copper, and ex-
ports for the month are estimated at
10000, tons, and tin plates slightly
stronger.
Coke production was 154, 925 tons,
with contracts making for the coming
year at $3.50, and anthracite coal was
weaker at 1915 here.
Wheat is just now the backbone of
foreign relations, and Atlantic exports
in two weeks have been, -four includ-
ed, 7,oS0,942 bushels, against 5,4I3,677
last year, while receipts rose to IL, 6O6,
1872 bushels, against 6. 625, 3S2 last year.
The price gained fraction in spite of
the speculative decline in Chicago.
| In corn, exports continue to exceed
last years, in two weeks 6, 1926, 1914,
against 5,074, 500 last year, which is a
particularly significant feature. The
price rose but a fraction, and receipts
in two weeks were 2,0O9, oil bushels,
against 5, 449, 1s1 bushels last year.
The cotton manufacturers are in diff
Guilty, due to production last year far
in excess of demand and to partial
transfer Of the demand to southern
mills. While domestic and export
sales have been large, they are behind
a production exceeding that of the best
previous year, northern and southern
included, and the effort to straighten
things by a reduction of wages pre-.
sumably involves a strike and reduction
of output. Goods are generally weak,
and the range of prices is now the low.
est ever known, the reduction in
bleached goods, prints and white
sheetings having caused considerable
increase in the demand.
The demand for wooden goods is in
creasing, and some mills are in the
market providing for greater produc-
tion, though most are still waiting,
and the wool market is remarkably
dull, sales at the three chief points be.
ing Is, 307, 100 pounds against IL, 100, 100
last year; II, 179. ITO in 1895, and IL, 5O4,-
100 in 1892. While prices are said to
be held without change, manufactur-
ers are hunting for bargains, and for
eign wool in considerable quantity is
coming this way.
Failures throughout the United
States for the week have been S29
against 3S7 last year and % in Canada
| against Al last year.