Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-03-06
TRADE REVIEW.
Improvement in Dusiness Gradual
Hut Encouraging.

Improvement IN uusinesa Gradunl
hut Encouraging.
New York, Feb. 27.-R. G. Dun g. Co.,
In their weekly review of trade, say:
Genuine Improvement in business docs
not come with rush, like the breaking of
a great dam. The growth for some weeks
past has been more encouraging, because
In nearly all lines 1t has been gradual and
moderate. The rupture of the steel rail
and other combinations in the Iron busi-
ness has brought out vast quantity of
trade which has been held back and has
set many thousand men at work, while the
slow but steady gain In other great In
dustries has given employment to many
thousand more, but the full effects VIII
not appear until the increased purchases
by all these swell the distribution of goods
This comes more slowly and later, but is
already apparent. Certainty regarding the
future will help 1t nightly and Is by null
titudes expected with strong hope. Mean
while II Is substantial ground for conti-
dence that months which were regarded
by many in the money market with seri-
ous apprehension have passed without dis
turbance and with steady gain in the po-
sition of the country and of the treas
ury.
ut is not to be expected that the excess
of exports over imports will continue as
large in January as II had been in pre-
vious months, and yet IL was surprisingly
large. The February returns have natu-
rally been less favorable, as cotton exports
fall off at this season, and yet the decrease
compared with last year is trifiing, while
The increase in imports, to be expected at
this season, has amounted during the past
three weeks to only S629,040. compared with
asst year. or about per cent. Nothing In
the state of foreign exchange indicates
that the heavy credits in favor of this
country have been liquidated or serious
ly diminished.
Nothing is yet settled about the price
of lake ore for the coming season, but
some expect for Mesaba the price of 1885,
while others expect lower price, either
being at least 20 per cent. lower than the
price of last year. The rapid increase in
coke output in the Connellsville region,
which is now over 100,0s0 tons, gives pros
| pect of moderate cost for fuel, and the ad-
| aition of important furnaces to the pro-
aucing capacity prevents large rise in
Bessemer pig, which has nevertheless ad-
vanced 10 cents at Pittsburgh with increas-
| Ing demand. Purchases of rails, estimated
| at /. .000, 900 tons within two weeks, where
as the production last year was 1,102, 500
| tons, and the sales said to be only 500, 900,
insure employment for the works far
ahead. and eastern works are taking de-
sirable contracts at SIS per ton.
with less rapidity, but yet steadily,
other industries are gaining. Although
| brown four-yard sheetings are an eighth
| lower and print cloths a sixteenth lower,
| II is found that several cotton mills are
started, not covered by the restriction as
| to print cloth works, which Is carried out.
| Increasing demand has also started quite
| 4 number of woolen mills. including many
making dress goods and hosiery. The de-
| mand for mems woolens is also somewhat
| better, especially for heavy weights, and
| there are improving sales of better quail
| ties.
| I'm boots and shoes also, growing belief
| that prices will not give way, has started
many shops, although many jobbers still
shrink from the prices asked.
| Wheat enjoyed brief rise, then dropped
| over cents, and closed 2S lower for the
week. While western receipts are 40 per
| cent. smaller than last year. for the past
in the same weeks have been 6,340, AIS bush.
| els. against 7,0i3,57 last year, and the
| exports of corn have been S435, $50 bush.
| els, against Abs. 2S2 bushels last year. The
| increase in corn more than makes up In
| foreign consumption for the decrease IN
wheat. Cotton rose BIG, though without
material change in movement.
| Stocks have not been demoralized, as
| some expected, in view of Investigations
but closed at 3S cents higher for trusts
| and "a points for railroads. Railroad earn
ings in three weeks of February have been
b.5 per cent. larger than last year. but
S.S per cent. smaller than in 1892. Chi.
| cago east-bound tonnage in three weeks
| of February has been 265, ,520 against 20S,.
$40 last year, and 220,311 in 1893. Exchanges
| through principal clearing houses have av.
eraged for February 7.6 per cent. less
| than last year, but these returns by nc
means fairly represent the volume of new
business Failures for the week have beer
year, and so in Canada, against IS last
| yparb