Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-06
MORE START THAN CLOSE
Manufacturing Establishments Opening Up
Are in the Majority.
AMOUNT OF WAGES PAID NOT AFFECTED
Distinct Increase Noted in Orders for
Wooden Goods-InJications of
Improvement In Iron and
Steel Manufacture.
NEW YORK, Feb. 5.-R. G. Dun & Co.'S
Weekly Review of Trade tomorrow will say

NEW YORK, Feb. 5.-R. G. Dun & Co.'S
Weekly Review of Trade tomorrow will say
No important change in business appears, but
the number of manufacturing establishments
starting much exceeds the number of those stop
ping during the week. and so much that the
curtailment OF working time In many cotton
mlS uoes . essen te aesresate prouuVtiNe
force or amount OF wages PAID. Ihere is a
distinct increase in orders for wooden goods,
some at some gain in the silk manufacture.
n y waiting condition with one branch of boots and
shoes and indications of better things coming
in the iron and steel manufacture. All symp-
toms are favorable in the money market, and a
large sale of securities in connection with the
Northern Pacific and Oregon Navigation inter
ests to European purchasers will put of still
further the possibility of gold exports. 1t Is also
cheering evidence of confidence among Euro
To many it is the most perpiexing feature of
current events that wheat does not rise much,
though 1t has advanced ~ cents for the week.
Atlantic exports have been only 1886. O4 bu.,
flour included, against 1,oG5. i56 bu., for the same
week last year. while western receipts have been
only /, 46S. 40 bu., against $500, i07 bu. last year.
The condition of the market Is not explained
by any special confirmation, but current prices
show that no great confidence is felt in the esti-
mates of supplies available for the rest of the
year.
close Fall River and other print cloth works,
but recovered the quotation of a week ago. 1.Sl,
Sasn sa s 1nrihe hi, news vnar t spinne er r taktngo , maHs
about 1000 less than in 1894, that the adj
mitted narrowness of demand for goods has
at present considerable weight. Sales of wool
have been enallers than in other recent weeks
and yet are FAR in excess of the consuml ton of all
mills for a week. if all were fully employed.
There has been only n slight stiffening in
prices. but more foreign wool will be taken and
stored. 1t is believed. If western holders demand
higher prices. More important than these in
dications is a little better demand for heavy
weight goods, which has led some of the smaller
mills to buy wool more freely and thus enable
a number to start operations.
Prices of Bessemer pig and grey forge at
Pittsburg have slightly advanced with IA much
more hopeful feeling, Notwithstanding the COM
parative narrowness of the demand for finished
products, and in plates and wire nails there
is much more business with good prospects.
Billets are quoted at $15.25, with scarcely any
demand at present, and rods at $21, while No.
2 black sheets are quoted at only 2 cents. Re-
ports that %, 900 lbs. of steel plate and sheet
bars have been exported to England are only
indications of the temporary excess of supply
over demand in this country, and are not sup
posed to have realized any profits. Yet It
Is stated that prices of cast pipe are from 50 to
SO per ton lower at New York than at Scotch
works. Bars are quoted at the lowest price
ever known at Philadelphia. without much i'm
provement in the demand, and steel rails are
still inactive and unchanged in price. the rail-
roads waiting for a decline corresponding to the
fall in billets. But on the whole, the demand
for iron and steel Is slowly gaining, and a
considerable proportion of the works Is fully
employed, though the gain is not yet enough
for those who have taken large stocks of mate
rial or products on speculation.
Failures for the week have been 81 in the
United States. against 1923 last year, and sixty
three in Canada, against sixty-seven last year.