The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-20
BUSINESS STILL SLOW
THOUGH STEADILY INCREASING IT is
NOT UP TO EXPECTATIONS.
Floods Affecting Trade in the Ohio
and mississippi VaIIeys-Dun a. Co.
and Bradstreet's Weekly Review.

NEW YORK. March 19.-R. G.. Dun &
Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow
will say: Though steadily increasing, bus
mess is still much below its volume i'm
former years of prosperity, and many ex-
press disappointment. Yet, there is some
gain every week, with more hands at work
and more mills in operation. and the sure
result, large purchases for
cannot be long delayed. In some branches
it is felt already; there is larger distribu-
ton of finished products, and the demand
for commercial loans has sharply increased.
especially in dry goods and the iron and
steel branches. The progress of the iron
and steel industry is hindered by uncer-
tainty regarding the cost of lake ore for
the coming year, though the repeated add
journment of producers meetings is inter-
preted as evidence that an agreement will
be ultimately reached. 1t is reported that
Norrie ore at $2.75 will be taken as the
basis, which would imply about $50 for
Aiesaba ores. but until the question has
been settled many important transactions
are deferred. While there is no great ac-
tivity in finished products the demand
steadily increases. Contracts for several
great buildings at Chicago are pending,
and for a good many bridges and other rail-
road works, and the demand for wire nails
and for wire does not abate, nor the de-
mand for black sheets required in tin-plate
manufacture. Tin tends lower at 1885 cents,
with heavy receipts and with weaker Lon
don quotations. Lead is inactive at 3.37
cents, and copper is weaker, although the
trifling decrease in production in this coun-
try is practically balanced by the small
increase in production elsewhere.
While manufacturers of cotton goods are
lO0klnR forward with ml10h nnnfidanaa h.
present demand Is not equal to expecta-
tlon. nor has the curtailment in production
of print cloths accomplished the desired
change in condition. The buying of wool,
mainly of a speculative character in expec-
tation of new duties, continues remarka-
bly, large. Sales at the three chief markets
for the past week were IL, S9l, 500 pounds.
and for the three weeks have been IS, 795, 500
pounds, of which II, 62S, 200 were domestic,
whereas the largest transactions in any
previous year at this season were II, Jos, SO
pounds in the corresponding weeks of 1892,
OF which n,SS6,626 were domestic. No great
increase has yet appeared in the demand
for goods, although a few more mills nave
found enough orders to start, perhaps In
part anticipating a future demand. The
fiuence the goods markets as might be ex-
The demand for wheat has not given
much help to speculation. Atlantic exports
nave been only 1. 1853, 800 bushels, against
1,199. 3S5, flour included, for the correspond
ing week last year, while Western receipts
nave DeSll oHiy i,oS'so1o pushelS, AGAINST
2. 4l6, 0S9 bushels last year. Accounts re-
garding the coming crop have been less
favorable this week, and the price has adj
vanced 1ssc. The exports of corn con-
tue heavy, 4,543, 705 bushels for the week
and quotations advanced Kc.
The cotton market has also been almost
lifeless. and while the price has gained a
small fraction, the narrowness of demand
here and abroad has its natural influence.
Reports about the coming crops are inter-
esting as usual to spectators.
Failures for the week have been PIG in
the United States, against POI last year,
and 80 in Canada, against 40 last year.