Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-21

$4,000 three years ago. and $500 in the
Ike week of 1893.
There were 2sI business failures report
ed throughout the United States this
week. against IA last week. 25i "A year
ago. 1872 two years ago. III three years
ago. and i56 in the third week OF August,
1893
ALL REPORTS ENCOURAGING.
Messrs, X. g. Dun & Co. in their week
~ review OF trade tomorrow. VIII say
Not for several years have the telegraph
reports from various cities IN all parts
OF the country been as encouraging. or
shown as uniform Improvement as this
week. The markets are called crazy BY
some. but fairly represent the people,
whose confidence I'm the future Is strong
and Increasing. Nothing appears TO check
IL. Rumors OF injury TO crops are not
sufficiently supported TO have much in
fuence. The one temporary hindrance Is
the strike Of bituminous coal miners,
which interferes as yet little with indus
tries. and seems likely TO terminate With
In a week.
The demand for money improves. taking
from New York TO the interior about half
a million more than was received during
the week, and offerings OF commercial
loans are much larger including consider
able iron and steel paper. and the course
or foreign exchange is generally taken as
an indication that specie imports cannot
be long delayed.
The greatest gain has been for agri-
culture. Corn has advanced a little in
price, but is moving very largely. so
that the last years surplus may soon be
marketed. unless the new crop turns out
better than many now expect. Cotton de-
clned an eighth, because Of an estimate
promising the largest crop ever grown,
but the goods market is decidedly i'm
proving. and some Of the large mills, after
a few weeks Of suspension have resumed
work.
Other farm products are doing well also,
but wheat has advanced about II Csc.
for the week, on actual transactions, with
purchases for export. Official estimates
OF the yield are entirely disregarded, ex-
cept as an admission that the crop will
be larger than that Of last year. and il
Is commonly assumed that the yield viii
be 5000 900 bushels or more. though re-
cent reports OF injury, indicating the
possibility Of a somewhat smaller out
come. have helped the advance in prices.
Western receipts for the week We're 3,SA,-
81 bushels. against 3,91L77j last year, and
for three weeks. I,30.Zj7 bushels against
lO69Ll31 last year, while Atlantic exports
are about double last years. 7oj, ZS1
bushels. against 1.s0S.3s7 last year. and
for three weeks. 9.Sl9.3lS. against 5,102 Col
last year. flour included for both years.
II Is we'll to notice that corn exports
continue more than double last years
in three weeks, S.5l65li bushels, against
4,l9,H last year.
The iron and steel industry is pushing
forward, in suite Of the still unsettled
strike Of bituminOus coal miners. and the
enormous purchases of ore at Cleveland
and also OF bilets at Pittsburg show
the utmost confidence I'm the future. Many
additional establishments have begun
work during the past week, and while no
material change i'm prices has occurred.
reports indicate fewer concessions TO Sc
cure business. and much steadier tone
The demand for finished products has
decidedly improved, especially I'm plates
sheets. and bars, and in railway supplies.
particularly in car-aXles. The sales Of
ore At Cleveland have amounted in two
weeks 20 10000 or 10000 tons, and the
billet sales reported at Plttsburg have
been i'm three weeks about 800 O0J tons
Tin is firmer with full consumption. and
there is larger business In copper several
million pounds having been taken for
export. raising the price Of lake to 81 %
The old difficulty remains i'm tho boot
and shoe industry. dealers being unwilling
to buy largely at the prices which manu-
facturers now ask, though during the
past week the only change has been
slight advance on calf boots.
The market for hides at Chicago is
again much stronger, prices having adj
Vanced with very narrow transactions.
and buyers are holding OFF i'm the belief
that prices have reached the top.
In the WOollen business a constant in
crease appears in the number of estab-
lishments at work. and the demand for
goods has much increased.
Failures for the week have been 90 in
the United states. against 90 last year,
and 30 in Canada, against q last year.