The news & observer., 1897-03-06
FAVORABLE FEATURES
Ali that Can Be Cleaned from
Business Conditions.
BRADSTREET AND DUN
DISCUSS THE PRESENT AND
FUTURE OF TRADE.
TIE HEAVY EXPORTS NO TED
TE HEAVY EXPORTS NOTED
Early Advance of Prices CONFIDENT,
Predicted When the New
Tariff is Enacted.

TTSQiCkGu WHSH AUO VIEW
Tariff is Enacted.
New York, March 5.-Bradstrees to-
morrow will say:
The new administration, the certainty
of an extra session of Congress within a
fortnight, and the promise of new tariff
at an early day which shall provide ade-
quate revenue and protection, have done
much to stimulate a better feeling in
trade circles and increase confidence
in the near approach of an Improvement
in business.
Favorable features are found in higher
prices for wheat, Indian corn, pork, lard
and spirits of turpentine as well as for
steel billets. Steel mills are fairly well
filed with orders, and in some lines are
inclined to advance prices. Recent low
quotations for various forms of iron and
and steel have been withdrawn, notably
for wire and structural material. Con-
fidence is expressed in an early advance
of prices for tin and for shoes and leath-
er, based on the activity in hides. Quo
tations are firm and unchanged during
the week for lumber, wool, print cloths,
rosin, petroleum, coffee, steel rails and
Bessemer pig iron, but there have been
cotton.
General trade has been interfered with
by rain, high water in the Ohio Valley
and snow in the north western spring
wheat States, South Atlantic and Gulf
States cities have had some better wealth
er with the merchandise movement equal
to expectations
Exports of wheat (lour included as
wheat from both coasts of the United
States this week amount to 2,075, ,435
bushels, compared with 1,372,000 bush
els last week, 2407 900 bushels in the
week the year ago, 3,272,000 bushels in
the week two years ago, 2,S51 900 bush
els three years ago, as compared with
1884 900 bushels in the like week OF
1893. Exports of Indian corn continue
heavy, amounting to $3.50, 7S5 bushels
this week, compared with A, ,744 900 bush
els last week, 2,775,000 bushels in the
week year ago, 49S,O00 bushels in the
like week OF 1895, 1,947 900 bushels in
1894 and as contrasted with $4,000
bushels in the corresponding week of
1893.
There are 262 business failures through
out the United States this week, compar-
ed with 25S last week, 270 in the week
a year ago, 252 in the week two years
ago and smaller totals in like weeks in
two proceedings years. This marks a
return of the ratio of business failures
TO the total number in business more
nearly to gsormaf.
DUN'S REPORT.
New York, March 5.--R. q. Dun &
Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow
will say:
The slow and gradual Improvement OBJ
served for some time has continued dur
ing the past week and without material
check There is a better demand for
most products on the whode, with con-
tinuance of speculative buying in some,
notably WOOL because of expected duties.
Reports of probable needs abroad have
helped speculation IN wheat somewhat,
but it has risen about three cents, though
the price is still lower than two weeks
ago. Corn is a cent stronger, about the
price of two weeks ago. Western receipts
of wheat are still small. Reckoning half
a bushel of corn for one bushel of wheat.
the grain supply of other countries con-
tinues much larger than a year ago. Cot
ton has declined an eighth, and with good
reason, for although receipts from plan
tations fall off, the decrease is not greater
than the decrease in consumption, owing
TO stoppage of mills. As there is conn
partiyely little cotton available in the
country, the market is a very convenient
Que for spectators to manipulate
While many of the mills have stopped
production of cotton goods for a time, the
general outlook is on the whole unchang-
ed and the lower demand for goods does
not improve, while print cloths are a
shade lower.
The mills accumulated stocks far in
excess of the actual demand during the
months of dullness, and their enforced re-
striction at this time is merely paying a
debt
While the demand for Bessemer pig has
sustained the recent advance to $10.75
per ton at Pittsburg, and grey forge is
stiIl quoted at $9.40 there, and there is
also less cutting Of prices to get more
business in finished products, the general
range of prices still continues very low.
Failures show but slight increase over
those of 1896 or 1895, and but little de-
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