The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-23
THERE'S MORE OF 1T
THOUGH BUSINESS Is NOT DONE AT
BETTER PRICES.
'un's Notes the Interesting Fact That AL
most all Prices Which Have Changed at
all are Lower, and Yet There Is Unques-
tionabiy More Doiug-Week's Failures
Without Marked Iufiu ence- Trade Symp-
toms Point Not to Depression But to
Caution, Which is a Good Thins-Brad-
streets Predicts Good Times.


New York. Jan. pr. G. Dun & Co. 5
weekly review of trade tomorrow will
say:
There's mora business, though not at
better prices. 1t is interesting that al
most all prices which change al all are
lower than week ago. and yet business
IS anquestionably larger There is large
production hut as yet not as much in
crease in consumption, and there is lar
ger buying of materials, but at present
only because better prices are expected
IN the future. A few conspicuous fail
ures during the week have mad no ma
terial influence. The market for securi-
ties is slightly stronger. and yet there is
| very little doing. The number of hands
employed, all industries considered. is
slightly larger than a week ago, with sd-
verse changes in the rate of wages. All
apprehension of foreign disturbance OF
| money markets has passed away. but
there is still great caution in making
loans. Il is mistake 10 reckon these as
symptoms of depression. On the con-
trary. in spite of the lower range OF
prices in important industries, the condi-
tons all indicate larger production and
a consumption increasing. not as yet
largely, but steadily.
Wheat, corn and cotton exports are the
key of the financial situation, and dur
ing the past week wheat has declined q
cent, and corn s. cent. While cotton is
unchanged. The western receipts OF
wheat are still small, SCI 900 bushels less
than year ago. and for three weeks of
January 4,153, 7i9 bushels, against 1885,
709 last year. but the Atlantic exports,
flour included, were 1,5S4715 bushels for
the week, against 2.3s6,457 last year, and
in three weeks OF January have been o.
0l9,032 bushels, against 6,S49,64 last year
The price has declined for corn also. al
though everybody knows that the heavy
exports means relatively more than the
exports OF wheat. Cotton is unchanged
after an cent decline. but the continu-
ing large movement from plantations,
and the depression of manufacturing
here and abroad, do not encourage high
prices.
There has been a general reduction in
prices of cotton goods. which at present
stimulates large buying,
The wooden industry is as slow as ever,
and no real improvement appears in the
demand for goods, although, owing TO
the lateneSs of the season, there is a 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 con-
Germs participating, and is understood to
be in anticipation OF expected duties, the
sales at Boston alone having amounted
10 1865, 600 pounds. Quotations have
not changed as yet. although western
holders are quite stiff.
In the minor metals stronger tone is
general nd Will ne
tons in the United States, and 1856 in
other countries. which is larger than any
other month since July in other coun-
tries. and, except in October, larger than
in any other month since March last, in
the United States, copper is slightly
stronger at IL cents. Lead has improved
little, with s3.O71s asked, and tin is
steady at 1910 cents, with a stronger
market in London.
The iron industry is engaged in set
Ting relative prices, and the slow oper-
alton retards business in many branches,
since the future of prices is uncertain.
Bessemer pig is a trifie lower at 5000 at
Pittsburg, and grey forge s9.40, though
no further decline has occurred in east
ern markets or at Chicago. But the
competition of new concerns, tempted TO
manufacture nails by the high prices re-
Gently maintained, caused slightly low
er sales of wire nails at s1.35 and of cut
nails at SIPS. The bar association has
been in session TO consider the re6uc-
ton of steel bars to one cent, and in
large contracts even lower, and the billet
association has again been called togeth-
er to meet on the 10Th, although there is
no prospect of its reorganization, and
billets are selling at S15.25 at Pittsburg.
The increase in manufacturing is per-
haps more definitely shown than in any
way by the production of coke. which
steadily increases. 9,S17 ovens being in
blast, against S115-idie, and the weeks
output, 1o0,ss6 tons, is over double the
OUTPUT OF October l.
the United States against 373 last year,
and 90 in Canada, against 81 last year.
The aggregate or gross carvings OF all
railroads in the United States reporting
for the first half OF January is S9.13I124,
a decrease of A compared with last year
and of 10.1 per cent compared with the
corresponding period in 1893. Only in
the granger, other western. southern and
southwestern groups are the number OF
roads reporting sufficiently large and i'm
portant 10 give fair indication OF what
the roads in these sections are doing.
The granger and other western roads
continue 10 report losses, compared with
both years With which comparison is
made. The southern roads report a gain
over both years and the sOuthwesterns
considerable loss compared with 1898.