Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-23
BUSINESS IS INCREASING
Conditions All Indicate Larger Production
and Corresponding Consumption,
PRICES ARE LOWER THAN LAST WEEK
All Industries Considered, Larger
Number Of Hands Is Employed
Few Failures Have No
Material Influence.

NEW YORK, Jan 22.-R. G. Dun &c Co.'S
Weekly Review of Trade tomorrow will
say.
There is more business though not at better
prices. IL is interesting that almost all prices
which change at all lower than week
ago. and yet business in unquestionably larger.
There is larger production but as yet not as
much increase in consumption, and there is
larger buying of materials. but at present
only because better prices expected In the
future. A few conspicuous failures during the
week have had material influence. The
market for securities is slightly stronger and
yet there is very little doing The number of
hands employed all Industries considered. is
slightly larger than week ago with adv ersc
changes in the rate of wages, All apprehen ion
passed away, but there Is still great caution in
making loans II is n mistake to reckon these
as symptoms of depression. on the contrary
In spite OF the lower range of prices In i'm
portant Industries, the conditions all indicate
larger production and a consumption Increasing
not as yet largely. but steadily.
Wheat corn and cotton exports the
key to the financial situation, and during the
past week wheat has declined ssc and corn &c
while cotton is unchanged. The western re-
ceipts OF wheat are still small ISL, 600 bu less
than year ago and for three weeks of Janu
AIRY 4l59719 bu., against 1866. 100 bu. last year
but the Atlantic exports, flour included were
l,53i, Il5 bu. for the week, against 2,SG6,457 bu.
last year. and in three weeks of January have
been 5Ol9 052 bu., against BSi9GlS bu. last year.
The price has declined for also, although
everybody knows that the heavy exports mean
relatively more than the exports of wheat.
Cotton is unchanged after lsc decline but
the continuing large movement from plantations
and the depression of manufacturing here and
abroad do not encourage high prices.
There has been general reduction in the
prices OF cotton goods, which at present slim
ulates larger buying. The woolen industry is
slower than ever and no improvement appears
in the demand for goods, although owing to the
lateness of the season there is little more doing
both in spring and in winter goods. without
quotable change in prices. The heavy buying
of wool mentioned last week has continued,
with smaller concerns participating, and Is un-
derstood to be in anticipation of expected duties
the sales at Boston having amounted to H.,
d6S,OOO lbs. Quotations have not changed
yet although western holders quite stiff.
In the minor metals stronger tone Is gep-
eral and with an output Of L. 6l9 tons IN the
which is larger than in any other month since
July In other countries, and, except in October,
larger than In any other month since March
last in the United States Copper is slightly
stronger at l2c. Lead has improved a little,
with SO1la asked, and tin is steady at $l34O
win n stronger market at London. The iron
industry is engaged in settling relative prices
and the slow operation retards business in
many branches, since the future of prices is
uncertain. Bessemer pig is n trne lower at
500 at Pittsburg and gray forge $40. though
no further decline has occurred in eastern mar
kets or at Chicago But the competition of new
concerns. tempted to manufacture, nails by the
high prices recently maintained caused slightly
nails at Sl.2J The bar association has been in
session to consider the reduction of steel bars
to cent. and in large contracts even lower
and the billet association has again been called
together to meet on the Goth, although there
Is no prospect OF It's reorganization and billets
are selling at STEPS at Pittsburg. The increase
In manufacturing is perhaps definitely
shown than in any other way b. tie prolucti,n n
Of coke. which steadily increased 9S2T ovens
being in blast, against Sl73 idle and tle weeks :
output. lOo,ss6 tons, is over double the output
of October I.
Failures for the week have been 800 in the
United States against $40 last year AMI 90 in
Canada, against 61 last year.
The aggregate of gross earnings OF all rail.
roads in the United States reporting for the
first half OF January is s9.1SS,TEI, a decrease
or ~ per cent as compared with last year
and of lO.l per cent compared with ;he c,,,-
responding period in 1898. Only H. the granger,
other western. southern and ',thwes.--n graui 5
are the number of roads reporting sufIlcienf,y
large ana important to give iair Indication
OF what the roads in those sections are doing
The granger and other western roads CON
tinue to report losses compared With both years
with which comparison is ma le. The suuttcrn
roads report a gain over both years, and the
southwcsterners considerable loss conn ared
with 1893.