The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-17
THE STATE OF TRADE,


NEW YORK. Dee 16-R. G.. Dun &
Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow Will
say:
December is adding a surprising close 10
the most surprising year OF American his
tory: November surpassed all other months
or the century in volume OF business and
production, and thus far December is doing
even better in payments through clearing
houses. in railroad earnings, in foreign
trade. in output OF pig iron, in activity and
strength of securities.
But that is saying Il great deal for in
all these and other tests November WAS far
the best month OF American financial has
tory December began with a pig iron out
put OF .52S tons weekly. gainst 22s 935
November |. and with stocks Of unsoid
iron diminished eS.9SS tons in November.
which indicates a consumption OF I.024 3l3
tons during the month. Not only is the
output the greatest ever known, but IL has
increased 22l3 per cent. since 1892, which
developed the greatest monthly record then
ever known-Bessenler pig was then SELL
ing for xli. 20 at Pittsburg, but until the
middle of November sold a $40 10 this year
1t has since risen with enormous demand
and sales 10 sf0.55 there. with gray forge
1915. but the Chicago market Is ais.o strong
with sales OF 900 tons. besides q go tons
or billets. which had risen at pittsburg
with big transactions 10 SIS With scarcity
of pig iron feared. both East and West
there is as yet no rise whatever in finished
product, although the demand is far be-
yond all production. Steel rails are quoted
at 81 per ton at the East although the
10000 tons at the West both the Pittshurg
and Chicago works being sold far ahead
And bids for 1000 tons for Australia are
III be opened today. while Chicago has
pending bid for 300 GOO tons deiiyerah BILE In
TWO years. in Asiat:c Russia. In other lines
the demand for finished products is OF sur
prising magnitude. especially in plates and
sheets.
The wooden industry also comes to the
front with very extensive purchases of
woo' by large houses and small helped ~
material concessions AZ Boston. so that the
sales a lEc three chief markets have been
Il 6SS, I00 POUNDS Of which i3 $50 30 were
domestic. against l. 501 lp last year of
which 1.i45.fs1 were domestic and 1914 l01
were domestic
The transactions show a demand fairly
up 10 that OF the most prosperous years
heretofore. Philadelphia has good b,lSi-
ness. lut seems inclinesi 10 ask cents
more than Boston for fine Ohio Xxx. be-
ing offered at Boston for H;s cents A
II Isl improved demand for goods has start
81 many mills long idle. and the prospects
for the next season with wool At moro rca-
.onable pr,oes has decidedly improved
The experts OF wheat continued heavy
C}2 bus heis as ainst 1851. 80 last year. ami
from Pacific ports al aai bushels against
i5@5-1l2 last wear, so that for two weeks
the oufgo has been H. 81 So bushels against
December CO last year was close 20 .hs
largest on record. the returns his yeA-
snow n r1Aity SURPRISING gam. w AlsG Tr3ces
have been ) cents stronger FOR cASH. 'he
Western rtce .pfs for two weeks % DA1en-
Der have been about 5,eo,opo more than last
ye7r.
Tie corn movement Is the * HS.un-
ishiAg feature OF the business the exports
for three weeks having been 1.1S1 .s02 bush
els against s32s. s9s bushels last wear, and
ne price has advanced ] cent for ths. week
Should such demand for American corn
continue II would be OF enormous value 10
Hsste-n farmers.
Failures for the week have been PSI in
the United States against 81 last yea- and
Il IN Canada against ~ last year.
Hradstreefs Review.
NEW YORK. Dec. ie.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow viii say:
iAkeniur the general business Of the
country 20 that OF a water course IL may
be authori,ativefy stated thar nearly sli
the present running fun, aud ia some lines
II business the stream IS virtually over
flowing. This is particularly the case In
iron and steel whore production and CON
sumption demand are alike going on at an
unprecedented rate. AZ time TOO. when
x Is usual 70 look for auietness In tbs In
1ustry Nothing Ike the present activity
years past, IT, indeed, IL has ever been
eqaaled. AGyscsa from al the leading cen-
Ger@ Of iron production are 81 an exception
ally good demand for the crude and manu-
featured products and OF advancing Driee.
The only anxiety expressed being that hy
buyers desiring early delivery Probably
never bet fore fl the countrs's history has II
pany 70 refuse profitable order FOR rails
for foreign arc0grt or the plea thar SIS
mills were already fully occupied 90 far
ahead a - precsa0a is srysax Tor TIE bus.