The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-06
GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT
~ npsrNEss CONTINUES WITHOUT
MAMMAL CHECR.
Ret,er ID emand for Most Produots--Money
Markets Easy-Enect OF the Cha"Ge
in the Administration.

NEW YORK, March s.-Brads'reete
tomorrow viii say
The new administration, the certainty
of an extra session OF Congress within
a fortnight. and the promise OF a new
tarin at an early day. which shah pro-
vide ADEQUATE revenue and protection,
have done much 10 stimulate better feel
ing in trade circles and increase confidence
ip the near approach of an improvement
In business.
Total clearlags at seventy-four cities
for February aggregated SS'O5s, 1910.
decrease OF us per cent. from 'he jan
uary total, aud lo.2 per cent nom WA
for February year ago. Genera uaoc
has been intorfered with by RAM hieh
water in the Ohio Valley, ana sno" III
the Northwestern spring wheat States.
South Atlantic and gulf cities nave hdu
some better weather, with the merchandise
movement equal 10 expectations. Al chi
caco and ST. Louis there has been marx
cd increase in the volume OF purchases
from jobbers. both by interior merchants
In person and by mail orders, yet IL -
probable that the total trade at neither
CITY EQUALS that nj a corresponding periOa
year ago.
The stock market was ralOed by the
beans on the antitrust feature or the
Presidents inaugural address. LONDON
has been weak aud sold stocks for the
past two days on the unfavorable Eastern
uolitlcal outlook The coal stock have
been weak on the publicans unfayorabie
10 the jersey Central Company. IN spite
OF its irreguiarity. the market has a very
strong tone. the sustaining feature being
the refundirg pan announced by the
Lake Shore Company IN conjunction win
y bankers syndicate.
There were 262 business failures
throughout the United States this week.
compared with 25S last week, ana go In
The week a year ago
r. G.. DUN & co.
r. G. Dun & CO. viii say tomorrow in
their weekly review Of trade:
Tho slow and gradual Improvement OBJ
served for some time has continued dur
Ing the past week. and without material
check. There is better demand for
most products. on the whole. with con-
tinuance OF speculative buying In some.
notably I'm wool, because of expected du-
ties. Meanwhile money markets continue
as easy and undisturbed as II there had
never been anxiety about the gold reserve.
and fairly large sales OF stocks on London
account during the week, possibly because
OF international anxleties, have made no
perceptible difference IN American mar
kets
Cotton has declined an eighth and with
good reason, for although receipts from
plantations fall off. the decrease is not
greater than the decrease in consumption
owing TO stoppage of mills. As there is
comparatively little cotton available I'm
the country. the market Is a very conven-
tent one for spectators 10 manipulate.
While many of the mills have stopped
production of cotton goods for a time.
the general outlook is on the whole I'M
changed and the demand for goods does
not improve while print cloths are "A
shade lower The demand for wool has
diminished. though only little. and sales
are quite q third more than the full con-
sumption of all mills If all were at work.
but the speculative buying continues. Al
though some more mills have gone into
operation. the course of the market has
not favored great activity but 1t may be
said that for goods OF the higher grades
there is a better demand than hereto
fore
The boot and shoe industry can reckon
a good many more shops, work, and ship
ments have been as large for the past
four weeks as In any previous year. The
market for materials has not changed TO
any important extent.
llDN MAfkhGl.
While tho demand for Bessemer pig
has sustained the recent advance TO sl015
per ton at Pittsburg and GRAY Forge IS
still quoted at $40 there, and there IS
also less cutting OF prices to get more bus
mess in finished products. the general
range of price still continues very low.
Wire nails have been advanced by very
heavy buying 10 81 40 per keg. without
change in cut nails. which are duh. and
there is less evidence OF eastern mills
selling rails below 500 except for export.
some sales of that character having been
made at SIS. Western makers are said 10
he firm al sol per ton. But the demands
OF the most important railways have been
supplied for the present the consumers
OF billets are not in the market Just now
and with somewhat larger production OF
pig iron II may be doubted whether out
side OF rails the demand for finished pro-
ducts equals the capacity Of works.
Failures for the week have been PIG
in the United States against 2S5 last year
and 20 I'm Canada against 6S last year.