The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-13
LOW TRADE CONDITIONS
CONFIDENCE RESPONDS SLOWLY TO
THE GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT.
More Evidence of Better Times i'm the
Near Future-Weekly Reviews OF
Dun a. Co. and Bradstreet.

NEW YORK. March Pr. G. Dun x
Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow VIII
say: 1t is a curious illustration of human
nature this continued encouragement.
even while the increase of productive IN
dustries and of legitimate business steadily
grows. No genuine and lasting improve
ment could come otherwise than Slowly ana
step by step. after such a depression as the
past four years have witnessed, and the
most hopeful feature of the situation Is
that the gain is so nearly devoid OF ele-
ments which involve unsoundness and prob
able reaction. The first step toward pros
perity is to get the wheels started and the
hands employed, and the number OF works
which have resumed or increased force dur
ing the past week seems greater than In
any other week since November. While the
start has been secured in many cases 10y
contract at extreme low prices, involving
some reduction of wages, the hands are
earning more even so, and aid the more
general recovery than if not working at all,
and thus far important strikes have been
avoided in many cases, though some are
still threatened. The money markets con-
tinued especially favorable to industrial re-
covery, and there is no such speculative
epidemic as to lock up excessive share
of wheat in farmers hands March / has
not in the least stimulated speculation.
Those commonly considered worthy of at
tention indicate that farmers and CONNER
cial supplies together amount 40 from
1856 600 000 TO 206 000 900 bushels exceeding the
output estimate of home demand by lSO.UOO-
600 bushels to July i. and by much more
than the quantity likely to be wanted for
export in view of the continued Outgo of
6S94 SIS bushels, against 159i, AS bushels last
year. Wheat exports from Atlantic ports
In two weeks have been 2.43l, 1E bushels.
against 2.921, 097 bushels last year, and, al
though Western receipts are but 3.45l,3 1863
bushels for the two weeks, against 4,56l, 3S2
bushels last year they are still so large for
| speedy exhaustion of the supply The
price has declined 313c for the week, and
corn is also fraction lower.
Cotton is not active, though 1-16c higher.
The curtailment of consumption by many
| mills does not yet help prices in the least.
nor the suspension of print-cloth reports.
Dealers SO generally hold back orders for
| other goods that the tone is weak The
speculation in wool continues, and sales for
| the two weeks have been 17.903900 pounds,
of which 9,92l,7 700 were domestic, whereas
| the largest previous sales for the same pc
Rod were 1901. $40 pounds, in 1892, of which
1868 426 were domestic.
While there is much trade between deal
| erS, manufacturers show by purchasing far
| beyond their present wants, the belief that
larger business is coming. Iron furnaces
| March 1 were producing 1926 tons weekly.
LUZ tons or per cent, more than Feb. /.
and, although visible stocks have increased
3Oo24 tons in four weeks. still more furnaces
| have started this month. The demand for
| finished products still lags behind the sup
ply of pig iron, except in the great steel
works, where stocks are not reported, but
| their orders without doubt cover full pro-
duction for several months. Bessemer pig
quotations appears, and there is a gradual
| increase in the demand for plates sheets
| and all the wire family of products. With
the advent of spring weather and outdoor
work much more business is expected. The
starting of the Maryland rail works under
contract with the Carnegie Company in or
| der to make shipments by water more
cheaply, is significant.
Failures for the past week have been 256
| in the United States, against 300 last year.
and sixty-one in Canada, against sixty last