New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-22

. .,,~ht increase in mems wear WOOL
lens. a stronger tendency was seen j" p''
cloths and prints, but men or niue"
comprehended that the prospect Oh lie" N"
,hr.. :, four months away would not sway
decisiyeIy the markets for great Var'e'e' VI
goods. The fashionable preference Tor muir
tudes Of novelties and fancies the oehh"o LUZ
which cannot be foreseen weeks or months
ahead tends 10 restrict the influence or chahse
OF duties which at the most IL too rar o's.h"' ~
bs greatly felt The market for print cloths was
more active on Saturday following the ADVANCE
in the price Of raw cotton, and the sales OF WOOL
for the week at the three chief markets amount
ed to 1OS91, 800 pounds, making Zo''"''oo" !"
three weeks and exceeding by more than oo per
cent those of the corresponding weeks III any
previous year. But attempts to speculate IN the
great variety Of cotton and woollen goods diHer
widely from speculation in the market Tor ma
terials.
The cotton market appeared to have owed most
of is rise to fear OF serious injury by floods.
and that fear does not appear wholly lii-touhoeu
as to the extensive tracts Of bottom land but
the injuries sustained so far ahead are not IN
frequently overestimated. The quantity which
has come into sight since September Is I69J-
:Jo2 bales, against S.9j5.351 to date three days
running behind much faster than last month
The wheat market has advanced cent and a
quarter between the close on the two Satur-
days and yet IL is difficult to trace the advance
TO distinct causes Some rumors at the West
and some new accounts about foreign supplies
and crops had little influence. but there was
really no more definite cause for rise the last
week than for a greater decline the week before.
Corn gained slightly in price. with continu-
ance Of the enormous export movement. Wheat
exports for three weeks from both coasts have
been 1904 1851 bushels flour included. against
G40l,0l1 last year. and the Western receipts,
391 BAG bushels last week. still fall considerably
below those OF the same week in 1896 2.415,0S0
bushels.
There was sense Of disappointment in
Iron and steel quarters not because new orders
did not begin TO appear, nor because decrease
after the heavy rush Of business recently
seen was disappointing, but in the main be-
cause the producers OF Lake Superior ore failed
TO arrive at the agreement expected regarding
prices and output for the coming season. II has
been supposed In trade circles that although
the Mesab producers might compete more or
less sharply. the other producers Of the Lake
region would be able to combine and to fix prices.
The fact that after several meetings another
adjournment was taken 10 TINS week seems en-
couraging to some. but each week OF delay now
puts off important arrangements and contracts
for future supplies Meanwhile the quantity OF
work In the larger branches is still increasing.
and during the last week orders have been re-
ported for several sky-scrapers at Chicago. for
numerous elevators and bridges and for good
deal Of additional railway work particularly
at the West The demand for wire nails con-
tinues as steady as before. and the competition
between American makers leads 10 large sales
of tin plates. The only important change in
prices in Grey Forge at Pttsburg. though
slight concessions reported in Southern pig
at the West
In the other Industries there is the gradual
gain to be expected with growing confidence in
the approach Of better things. and so In the boot
and shoe business the movement continues
larger than in previous years and prices are
well sustained Speculation in stocks also be-
came a little more active. following the encour-
aging announcement in the Vanderbilt and other
roads and the prospect of important negota-
tons with Europe. and sales for the week
considerably larger than they have been I'm recent
weeks. A natural reaction followed both in
railroad and trust stocks after the sharp ad-
vance recently seem but It was not of a kind to
cause any apprehension In the money market
also all indications favorable TO good bust
ness In the future and not the less because rates
somewhat sitter account OF increasing
demand But there IL an ample supply, and
there is no longer felt any fear whatever that
the money market will be driven into serious
difficulty at this season by foreign demand for
gold.