Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-02-11
DuN's COMMERCIAL REVIEW.

The Waiting Attitude of business still
Maintaaned-NO Special Features Prom.
inent-Wheae Slowly Acknowledgements
OF Cotton and Wool UnsatIsfactory-
More Hopeful Feeling in Iron-No EN-.
bsrrassment in the Money Market.
NEW YORK, Feb. 6-R. G. Dun & Co.
say to-day in their weekly review of
trade:
No important change in business APP
pears. but the number of manufacture
ing establishments starting much ex-
ceeds the number OF those stopping
during the week, and so much that
the curtailment of working time in
many cotton mills probably does not
lessen the aggregate productive force
or amount of wages paid. There is
distinct increase in orders for wooden
goods, some gain in the silk manu-
facture, a waiting condition with gain
in one branch of boots and shoes, and
| indications of better things coming in
the iron and steel manufacture.
To many it is the most perplexing
feature of current events that wheat
does not rise much, though it advanced
~ cents for the week. Atlantic ex-
ports have been only 1896, O45 bushels,
-four included, against 1855, 456 for
the same week last year. while west
ern receipts have been only /, 46S, 17H
bushels, against 1850, 407 last year.
The condition of the market is not
explained by any special information,
but current prices show that no great
confidence is telt in the estimates of
supplies available for the rest of the
year.
Cotton fell to ~ cents, after the
agreement to close Fall River and
other print cloth works became
known, but recovered the quotation
of week ago. 7.s1 cents without fur
Their news. Spinners' takings have
been so small this year, those of
northern mills about 400, 900 bales less
than in 1S9495, that the admitted mar
rowness of demand for goods has at
present considerable weight.
Sales of wool have been smaller than
in other recent weeks, and yet are far
in excess of the consumption of all
mills for a week, if all were fully en-
ployed. At the three chief markets
the aggregate for the week has been
Is, 500. 700 pounds.
There has been only slight stiffen-
ing in prices, but more foreign wool
will be taken and stored, it is believed,
if western holders continue to demand
higher prices.
Prices of Bessemer pig and gray
forge at Pittsburgh have slightly adj
Vanced with a much more hopeful
feeling, Notwithstanding the compare
tive narrowness of the demand for
finished products, and in plates and
wire and wire nails there is much
more business with good prospects.
Billets are quoted at S15.25 with
scarcely any demand at present, and
rods at SCI, while No. 81 black sheets
are quoted at only two cents.
Reports that $4,000 tons of steel
plate and sheet bars have been ex-
ported to England are only indica-
tons of the temporary excess of sup
ply over demand in this country, and
are not supposed to have realized any
profit. Yet it is stated that prices of
cast pipe are from two dollars to three
dollars per ton lower at New York
than at Scotch works.
Bars are quoted at the lowest price
ever known at Philadelphia, without
much improvement in the demand,
and steel rails are still inactive and
unchanged in price, the railroads
waiting for decline corresponding
to the fall in billets. But on the
whole the demand for iron and steel
products is slowly gaining, and con-
sidera BILE proportion of the works are
fully employed, though the gain is
not yet enough for those who have
taken large stocks of material or prod
ucts on speculation.
In the money market there appears
no embarrassment, and the large sale
of Northern Pacific and Oregon Navi-
CATION securities to European capital
lists has given additional assurance
that balances due to this country will
not be cancelled for some months to
come so that the point of possible gold
exports is removed still farther. The
course of the stock market has been
uninstructive and dealings have not
been large, but the average of railroad
stocks has advanced a small fraction
and the average of trust stocks has
slightly declined.
Failures for the week have been 311
in the United States. against 323 last
year; and 90 IN Canada, against 81 last
wear.