The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-17
TRADE SKY BRIGHT
GREAT COAL STRIKE THE ONLY
CLOUD ON THE BUSINESS
HORIZON.
CROP PROSPECTS IMPROVE.
In MANY HOME INDUSTRIES THERE
is MARKED INCREASE IN
ACTIVITY.
FROM BRADsTREETs VIEW POINT
Dullest Month of the Industrial Year
DuIIer Than Usual, Despite Some
ImprOVeIs cnIs.

NEW YORK, July 16.-Dun & Co.'S
review of trade tomorrow will say:
Excepting the great coal miners strike
which may terminate at any time, there
is scarcely a feature of the business
out look which is not encoura ging, the
season considered. Crop prospects have
been improved by needed rain in some
regions and foreign advices continue
to promise a large demand. In many
home industries, particularly in build
ing. there is more activity than in any
year since 1892, and the week has
brought a better demand in boots and
- shoes and in woolens, while the move
ment of freight, mainly iron ore.
through the Sault Ste Marie canal is
the largest in its history. With money
markets unclouded, there is nothing in
sight 10 hinder rapid improvement
when uncertainty about legislation has
been removed, for the miners strike
could not last long if business and
industries should become active. There
is much less apprehension of failure
of fuel supply than there was during
the first few days. when prices rapidly
advanced and large quantities of coal
from West Virginia have reached
Northern markets, but some of the
miners in that state have struck.
The advance in wheat to S11s cents
was not due to the government esti-
mate, which was followed by a decline,
but to foreign advices and consider
able buying for export. Demand is
already felt from Australia, South
Africa, Brazil and even Argentine,
while the promise for European crops
is not considered bright. The DISPOSE
ton of farmers to keep back wheat
for higher prices may affect the out
ward movement, but Atlantic exports
during July, flour included, have been
3.115,44S bushels, against 2,953S17 last
year, although in the same weeks A.
$50, 315 bushels of corn went out against
1,574,072 last year. Wheat closed A
cents higher for the week and corn u
cent higher.
Cotton IS a sixteenth higher, the
closing or partial stoppage of important
New England mills hardly neutraliZing
in market estimation, the apprehen-
sions of injury from drought. Specu-
lation in the wool market continues
active with prices at all points strong
er, at Boston advancing with signs of
q DOOm among dealers, IN which manu-
facturers are taking little part at cur
rent prices, and a the West, where
holders are looking for a great advance
Imports at Boston We're 2S $50 bales in
two weeks, and dealers are said to have
bought 100,0 900 bales more in London
Sales We're 1869, 300 pounds at the three
markets for the week, and "a, 572, 800 in
two weeks, Of which 1908 were
domestic.
The output of iron furnaces July 1
was 164,064 tons weekly, against 16S,-
$50 June l, but several furnaces have
gone into blast since July 1 and the
output is large for the season. Pre-
sumably an unprecedented share of it
Is to supply the great steel companies,
which are even now putting more fur
naces into blast and have heavy Or
ders taken when prices We're dropped,
while the demand for structural shapes
and plates is large and for bars i'm
proving. though steel bars are now at
the lowest quotation ever known in
Pittsburg.
Failures for the week have been 263
In the United States, against 269 last
year and q in Canada against 80 last
year.