Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1897-07-09
CONDITION OF TRADE.
MANUFACTURING AND TRADE ASSUME
MIDSUMMER QUIET.
Western Coal Miners strike--Iron Workers
Wages Reduced and Prices of Finished
Products Lower than Ever Before---Ths
crops---wooI and Wooden Fabrics.

Midsummer vacations have COM
menced ir, many works with the de-
crease Of orders usual at this season.
This customary vacation is called q
strike where agreements regarding
wages for the coming year have not
been reached aud the extensive strike
Of the amalgamated iron workers, an
bounced July /, is of this nature, but
the strike of coal miners in Illinois and
other Central Western States is not
and may prove costly. In some iron
and cotton works wages have been re-
duced, owing to low prices, one cotton
mill in Virginia closing because reduc-
tion was not accepted. With a better
demand the employer will seek agree
ment and in its absence the workers,
before long, so that the situation is dis
hnctly of midsummer character.
Since much of the future depends on
crops, the Frightening prospects are of
the highest Importance. Estimates by
persons usually most pessimistic now
far exceed any made q month ago, one
promising 559, coo, 900 bushels wheat,
with lower condition, but largely in
creased acreage, of corn. Cotton pros
poets are brighter, as the crop appears
to be early rather than late in regioMs
which were not flooded.
The movement of wheat is small
Western receipts for the week, 1,630,
779 bushels against 2,04l, 7l9 last year
and Atlantic exports 2,064, 173, flour
included, against 2,162, 172 last year,
but a staong effort to lift prices failed
and the close is ! lower for the week,
with corn 10 lower. Cotton rose an
eighth, with small sales. The iron and
steel industry halts at midspm mer, al
though the demand for finished pro-
ducts still increases and .disappoint-
ment is due only to the fact that the
increase is not enough to keep all mills
at work and thus to bring better prices
which now average slightly lower than
ever before, though not one per cent.
below those of March, 1895. The ex-
port trade is increasing and large or
der for India has Just been taken at a
price said to be $50 below British
bids.
Coke production is increasing again,
as more iron furnaces are going into
blast and an advance of % per cent.
has been ordered in anthracite coal.
Tin is higher at 14.01 with larger con-
sumption, and copper at 104 for lake
for export; and white lead has advanced
to 3. &c. American sellers are selling
tin plate largely at $40 for full weight,
against $50 for foreign.
Textile manufacturers are waiting
and cotton mills curtailing production,
with large stocks on hand and, prices
scarcely changed; while wooden mills
are gradually increasing work, with
better orders and prices incline to adj
vance shade.
Enormous buying of wool, 256, 900,
900 pounds this year against 102, 900, :
last year. refects speculation, mainly,
aud some large lots have been sold
three to five times since this revival
Prices are someWhatretron at sea-
board markets and so high in the inte-
rior that dealings in domestic are re-
stficted. for two months net 81, 900, 600
against IS, ZOO, 600 foreign.
Failures for the week have been 24l
in the United States, against 257 last
year, and 80 in Canada, against % last
| year.