The record-union., 1897-10-16

NEW YORK, Oct. 15.-Bradstreets s
tomorrow will say:
The activity in the staple lines of
merchandise is less pronounced than
month ago, due to interior merchants
having supplied their demands for a
time, a. gradual increase of the terri
tory included by the yellow fever quar-
antine, the low price of cotton, ten
dency in the Missouri River Valley and
spring wheat States to hold wheat for
higher prices, and to farmers being
busy with fall planting.
Unreasonable weather has had an un-
favorable influence on the distribution
of merchandise throughout the Cen
tral West, and at Chicago and St. Louis
sales have fallen off
A well-informed correspondent of
Bradstreet's, after extended personal
investigation, gives reason for antici-
pating a much smaller yield of cotton
than trade estimates indicate.
Advances are reported for Bessemer
pig-iron and steel billets, with quick
sales. but prices are firmly held. Some
steel mills are not able to keep up
with orders. The domestic consump-
ton of pig-iron last month was ex-
traordinarily heavy, and promises to
greatly stimulate production.
With the slackening off in the rate
Of distribution of merchandise, the up
ward movement of prices is correspond
ing1y checked, and in this, the third
week in succession, the number OF sta
pies for which quotations are lower Is
greater than those which are higher or
unchanged.
There are nominal advances for lard
and mems shoes, but prices for pork,
sugar, other forms of iron and steel
than those named, for copper, lumber,
coal, sides and wool, are unchanged
Quotations are lower for butter, pota-
toes. wheat, cotton, corn, oats, flour.
beef. coffee, print cloths and lead.
Wheat exports have again expanded,
the total for the present week being
among the largest on record. The total
exports of wheat, flour included as
wheat, this week from both coasts of
the United States aggregated 6,039, 10
bushels, against 4, ,S35, GAL bushels last
week, and 4,156,S bushels in the week
a year ago.
There are 196 business failures re-
ported throughout the United States
this week, compared with 236 last week
and 279 in the week a. year ago. There
were forty four business failures re-
ported in the Dominion of Canada this
week. compared with forty last week
and thirty in the week a year ago.
NEW YORK, Oct. 15.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'S Weekly Review Of Trade" will
say tomorrow:
Foreign trade in September, the
heavy Increase in iron production and
consumption, and the largest payments
through clearings ever known in Octo-
Der. are indications which outweigh
hesitation in some markets. The in
crease in employment of labor has con-
tinued, with further accounts daily Of
works opening, increasing force Of
hands, of raising of wages, and at ev-
cry point where actual production can
be tested it appears greater than ever
before.
Efforts by the Bank Of England have
delayed further gold exports, but with
a cotton movement rising, large ship
ments to this side are deemed certain
and not distant More gold, however.
means less just now than more iron.
The output of pig-iron October 18th
is 300, ,12S tons weekly, against 112,7S2
a year ago. the increase since July last
having been % per cent Unsold stocks
have been reduced at the rate Of 49,
tons weekly in September, indicating
a consumption exceeding $4,000 tons
weekly, which is about 10000 greater
than ever before and 10 per cent. great
er than three years ago.
Prices of pig hold steady, though the
production has been further increased
since October 1st, and prices of fin
ished products generally rise with espe-
cially heavy demand for plates, rods
and baxs, while another contract has
been taken by the Illinois Steel Com
pany to deliver 80 900 tons of steel rails
for Japan, and the Pennsylvania COM
pany has bought 81, 600 tons. Ore ship
ments on the lakes surpass all records,
and the Rockefeller Company has con-
tracted for another steamer with two
consorts to carry 10000 tons the larg-
est ever built for the lakes.
Makers Of black sheets have raised
the price for No. 2S to 81 10, and wire
nails are cents higher, the average
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