Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-27
GRADUAL AND MODERATELY Has BefS the Increase in All
 S3usineSS Lines. VA9S QUAN THY OF TRADE 7 ~.een Brought Out in Iron Industry by the SA Ruptured Pool. PLACING OF ORDERS FOR RAILS
PLACING OF ORDERS FOR RAILS
To an Enormous Extent, Most of It for For- eign Trade Has Been the Feature. Woolen and Cotton Mills Also
 Show Improvement.

New York, Feb. 26.-R. G. Dun &, O., will say. tomorrow in their weekly review of trade:
 Genuine improvement in business does 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 it has been gradual and moderate. The rupture of the steel rail and other combinations in the iron business has brought out vast quantl- ty of trade which had been held back and has set many thousands of men at work. While the slow but steady gain in the other industries has given employment to many thousands more, but the full effects will not appear until the increased pur- chases by all these swell the distribution of goods. This comes more slowly and later, but it is still apparent. Certain ty regarding the future will help 1t might fly and is by multitudes expected with strong hope. Meanwhile it Is substantial ground for confidence that months which were regarded by many in the money market with serious apprehension, have passed without disturbance, and with steady gain in the position of the country and of the treasury.
 It is not to be expected that the excess of exports over imports would continue as large in January as 1t had been in pTeNIOuS InUHlIS, anu yet IL was Sul- prisingly large. The February returns have naturally been less favora ble as cot ton exports fall off at this season, and yet the decrease compared with last year is trifing, while the increase in imports to be expected at this season has amount ed during the past three weeks to only $629 040 compared with last year, or about per cent. Nothing in the state of for eign exchanges indicates that the heavy credits in favor of this country have been 1inni0at ted Or SariO11 SlU diminished
 Iron bars are unchanged, but orders for 900 cars by one railroad with numerous others, increase the demand, and plates are required for two great elevators at Chicago. Important contracts for export continue and American makers undersell foreign in tin plates by 70 cents and are selling cotton ties below 75 cents, for which $1.10 was charged by importers year ago. s'
 With less rapidity but yet steadily the other industries are gaining. Although brown four yard sheetings are an eighth lower and print cloths a sixteenth lower. 1t 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 a number of woolen mills, including many making dress goods and hosiery. The de- mand for mems woolens is somewhat bet ter, and especially for heavy weights and there are improving sales of better quali- ties. .'
 Tn boots and shoes there is a growing belief that prices will not give way, has started many more shops, although many jobbers still shrink from the prices asked.
 Failures for the week have been 296 in the United States, against PTS last year. and 50 in Canada, against 5S last year.