The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-27
GOOD WEEK FOR BEARS
THE ONLY WONDER Is THAT PRICES
DID NOT TUMBLE HARDER.
Stocks Are Large and the Deman
Has Not Fallen OR-Dun e. Co.'s
and Bradstrcet's Reviews.

NEW YORK, March PR. G.. Dun &
Co.'S Weekly Review of Trade tomorrow
will say: Rarely have markets sustained
such surprises as hey have received of
late with so little loss. Foreign conditions
and London alarms. the collapse of the
iron ore combination, the destructive floods
In the Mississippi valley and the decision of
the Supreme Court against railway associa-
tons have been used to the utmost, but not
even in railroads has the result been i'm
portant. Were all associations or railroads
to cease it would yet be in the power of
capital controlling important lines to stop
serious rate cutting if it chose. With con-
fidence that better times and larger busine SIS
are coming, men are less disposed every
day to throw away good investments, and
the very fact hat prices of products are
low is regarded as a guarantee against
much further decline. In all industrials
also the number of mills and shops and
hands at work gradually increases.
The grain markets have lost without rea-
son the gain they made without reason the
previous week. Wheat supplies are running
out, but nobody believes that there is COM
ing famine before June, when the harvest
ing of Southern wheat will begin. Western
| receipts were over a third smaller than last
year and for four weeks have been 7,6l1. 4iO
bushels, against 11,Ss4, POS last year, but
the better prospect for the crop of winter
wheat has more weight. Atlantic exports,
flour included, were nearly as large for the
week as last year and for four weeks have
year. But corn exports have been 763,519
bushels. against 4.577.6O9 last year. When
400. 600 bushels wheat at less than 60 cents,
the price of wheat is not easily advanced
above so cents.
Cotton was helped upward an eighth by
the flood, but has lost half the gain. al
though manufacturing is more hopeful.
Without change in prices goods were in bet
ter demand and sales of 10000 pieces print
cloths resulted in a stronger tone.
Final dissolution of the lake iron ore
pool has been expected ever since the Car
negie-Rockefeller deal and insures low
prices for ore the coming year. though per-
haps not lower than in 1895. Mesaba facil-
tiles for production have vastly increased,
and all the great steel-making concerns
have secured mines of their own, while
means of transportation have greatly en-
larged. With assurance of cheap ore hest
tation about various products should di-
minish, and the demand is steadily increas-
ing. Bars are still demoralized and at the
lowest point, but for plates. sheets. wire
| rods and wire and all nails the demand is
growing larger. The demand for rails con-
tinues enough to strengthen prices, al
ObS SOiIiC Ipl SDttuidtlNt PURCHASES are
omered below the present prices or mills.
Tin is a shade lower, with larger arrivals,
though the distribution has been considera-
bic. Lead is decidedly stronger at 3.47 cents,
but copper is weak at 11.15 cents. Increases
in coke production appear TO be assured
by purchase of works by the Cambria Com
pany. While quotations are unchanged.
outsiders are offering furnace at Sl.O per
ton.
sales for four weeks than ever before, 46.-
$4,000 pounds, against 2l.9S4.576 in the
same weeks of 1892. Much more than half
is for speculation. as nothing like the full
capacity of mills is employed. The wool
market is steadily increasing. but cautious
~, as 1t is too early to anticipate results
from changes which may be made in du-
ties.
Failures for the week have been POI in
the United States, against 259 last year and
90 in Canada, against SO last year.
Bradstreet's Weekly Review.
NEW YORK. March 26.-Bradstreet's re-
port tomorrow will say: While the week
is not without favorable features. unfavor-
able influences have been more numerous.
Leading money markets show no improve
ment. Mercantile collections continue slow
as heretofore, and the volume of funds
offered is i'm excess of demands for dis
counts. The tendency of investments to
improve has temporarily disappeared under
the influence of the Supreme Court anti
trust decision. which apparently threatens
arrangements for the maintenance of rail-
way rates. as well as railway trades union
activity, so far as it may affect Interstate
commerce. The tendency of prices is down.
ward. quotations being lower for wheat.
Indian corn. oats, coffee, cotton and for
pig iron and steel billets on the outlook for
lower-priced ore. Staples for which prices
are higher include wool. raw sugar. wheat.
flour. petroleum.. linseed oil and turpentine.
open sales OF copper at recently privately
cut quotations are due TO disappointment
In the demand. Stormy weather. high
water and floods in the Ohio. Mississippi
and Missouri river valleys and in the
interfered with interior trade. and. i'm adj
dition TO loss of life. the floods nave dam
aged country roads, houses. farms. bridges.
telegraph lines and railway tracks. The
gradual increase in the number of indus
trial strikes Is the outcome of a movement
TO secure higher wages. and in instances
moderate advances have been obtained.
Recent activity in raw wool continues. and
the prospect for an increased tariff on i'm
ported woolens causes merchants to pur-
chase American goods more freely. The
movement OF cottons is not up TO expecta-
tons and In some lines is disappointing.
me most noticeable Improvement i'm trade
Is confined to dry goods. hardware. leather.
agricultural implements and shoes.
' Exports of wheat flour included as
wheatl from both coasts of the United
and from st. John y. B.. this week
amount to l,14s.4l9 bushels. compared with
lsp-s.VVJ UuSntiS last week. l.tf4.tD1 bushels
In the week a year ago. 2.562.000 bushels in
the week two years ago, 266. 900 bushels
three years ago, and as contraSted with
2.S75,00 bushels in the like week of 1S93.
Exports of indian corn continue heavy.
amounting to 5.6s2.6SI bushels this week.
against $4,000 bushels last week. 1.727O0
bushels in the week a year ago. Ga. 900
bushels in the week two years ago, 1861 900
bushels three years ago. and as compared
with $1,000 bushels in the corresponding
week OF 1898.
The rate of commercial mortality con-
tinues on the decline shown i'm recent
weeks. the total number of business failures
throughout the United States being 221 this
week. compared with 231 last week. 276 i'm
the like week In 1896. 2S2 In the last week
of March. 1895. 246 in the corresponding
portion of 1894 and as contrastad with 10 in
the corresponding period i'm 1893. There are