New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-27

tbis war have fallen about 10 per cent below
last vears and the attempted reduction or
wages there indicated difficulty. There mas oee''
some increase in purchases here since the re-
cent reduction in prices OF goods. enSue" ~
cause a slight recovery In the prices Oh lew
Rather unexpectedly to most dealers, II wouid
SEEM heavy purchases Of domestic WOOL w
some Of the largest mills came before inc emu
Of the year. and seem to indicate greater conn
dence as to the future. Of the WOODEN soouS
market than has yet been shown. AS usual be-
fore the season opens some large contracts nave
been privately made at terms not known
though supposed to be about parity WIN
present quotations for light weights. but IN
some quarters a further advance is reported.
The boot and shoe factories are also enjoying
a more urgent and larger demand than has
been known before In December and while
many have but little work ordered ahead the
fact that current consumption has required snip
ments exceeding last years TO date In December
by $1,000 cases. and those OF December loo@' 10
date by 1900 cases. or SO per cent. gives some
ground for confidence. Leather Is shade lower
for some qualities. though signs or speculation
and large transactions forbid change in hem
lock SOLE but hides at Chicago are slightly
lower.
Pig iron Is stronger again at Pittsburg. Bes-
semer at so and Grey Forge at 50. and prices
at Chicago are fully sustained. nor are Eastern
quotations lower, though some Southern pig
has been reduced here % cents presumably on
account of prospective change In freights. The
demand for iron ard steel products has antici-
pated the beginning of the year by numerous
orders, some Of Importance. which have given
a much better tone TO the markets Chicago
reports one trunk line purchasing four thou-
sand cars. three drainage canal bridge con-
tracts pending. Of which one calls for 5,400
TONS extraordinary orders for hardware,
bars wagon. making and sheets for tin
plate manufacture. 1t Is stated that eight
months capacity OF the Illinois Steel Company
has already been booked ahead. and sales OF
rails have advanced the price there to $50. while
5000 tons have been sold here for home and 2,OOO
for Mexican roads. The Eastern Bar Assocla-
ton has fixed IL cents for refined. and tank
steel plates at Philadelphia are slightly stronger.
Stocks have been supported By earnings in
December 90 per cent larger than last year.
the Granger. Trunk. Southern and Southwest
ern roads exceeding their earnings in 1892.
though less than In November. Clearings also
exceed last years heavily, but fall behind in
comparison with the corresponding week in
1892. when there was extraordinary excite
ment. with exports OF 81. 100000 gold, money
ranging from to 10 per cent, and sales or
2.iO0. 900 shares Of stocks But the Union Pacific
payments this year have not disturbed the
market seriously. and remttances Of SlS.OoOOoo
for payment OF interest abroad have covered only
part II the foreign Indebtedness for merchan-
disc. Merchandise exports for three weeks fall
about 100000 below the extraordinary move
ment OF last December. while heavy imports
last week made the aggregate for four weeks
only Sl.SO0.Oo0 below last years, but. with all
the corrections indicated. the excess Of exports
would still much exceed SJ00o0000 for the
month