Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-05-27
ouN.s COMMERCIAL REVIEW.

UnmIstakable Evidence of Improvements
in Business-General Increase OF Conn
mercial Loans. Mostly for Eastern Mer-
chants or Companies. but with Consider.
able from tho Middle west-Generel Re-
view OF Markets.
New YORK, May 22.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'s weekly review of trade says:
Unmistakable evidence of improve
ment comes in the general increase of
commercial loans. mostly for eastern
merchants or companies, though some
well-known houses in the middle west
appear with considerable rediscountS
from the south.
Not for a long time have commercial
loans been fully half the whole. The
distinct change gives proof that new
business has been larger than many
have supposed. Receipts of money
from the interior exceed shipments
81, 500, 600, mostly from the middle west.
Exports of gold have no influence,
and only signify the willingness of
Russia to pay a price for the gold
needed. The excess of merchandise
imports to answer demands for half
year to come involve a greater excess of
exports when the anticipatory move
ment ends and crops begin to move,
which fact renders lar ge outgoes of
gold less likely, and gives the country
a stronger position in international
markets.
Meanwhile, there is continuing in
crease, distinct, though gradual, in the
volume of business in demand for
products of manufacture and, consider
ing the time of year, in movement of
grain and produce.
Western wheat receipts exceed last
years for the week, 2,SS4, 1S9 bushels,
against 1, 73S, 0S6 bushels, and Atlantic
exports were 1870, S13 bushels, -four in
cluded, against 1902, 49I bushels last
year, and for three weeks ATS, 723
bushels, against 1855, 90 last year.
Western receipts of corn were 1855
GIT bushels, against 1, 495, 670 bushels,
and Atlantic exports ?, 1SS, S25, against
1,6Os,74s bushels last year, notwith-
standing the enormous increase hither-
to.
Wheat again cheated hopeful buyers,
and fell nearly four cents. closing 50
cents lower for the week.
Corn was a shade weaker. Cotton
once more hopefully advanced to ~
cents, but fell back to 7sl cents with
poor support here or abroad.
Both the volume of stock and the
condition of domestic and foreign
markets for goods hinder advance, and
later acreage reports are better. The
iron industry has quite an increase in
new business, though not in all
branches. Part was due to the rup-
ture of the steel beam pool and the fall
sY,,O To 111Tr
ed, and some good structural contracts
were at once secured. Part is due to d
better demand for plates and for pipe,
of which one large contract for In
diana fields was placed. and part to
growing needs for cars an d vessels
There is also some increase in rods,
though the season for wire and nails is
nearing an end, because of an ex-
pected pool of rod mills.
Low southern freight rates marketed
little more iron at the north and
eastern foundry slightly lower with
gray forge only $s.25 at Pittsburgh.
The Carnegie works are now turning
out 5000 tons rails daily, nearly all on
old orders, and exports of finished pro-
ducts increase.
Sales of copper, said to be nearly co.
600, 600 pounds, have stiffened the price
to 117s for lake, and tin rose to 1874
cents in spite of large arrivals, though
lead was weaker at 3.25 cents, and tin
plates at $50. Coke is also a shade
lower.
Sales of wool decrease, though still
greater than when all the mills were
busy, but manufacturers are doing
scarcely anything, most of their posi-
BILE demand for months ahead having
been supplied. Western holders begin
to offer at to ~ cents lower than of
late.
Wooden goods are dull, but prices
are firm. The strike of clothing hands
here somewhat restricts the new de-
mand. Cotton goods are without
change in prices, print cloths still at
the lowest on record, and the demand
is still Indifferent, with talk of tenn
porary closing of mills at the south.