The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-01

% were rivaIs-1SsS with S11,59o; 1873,
with 1851 and 1886. with $1i,oIS.
The new year opens with conditions
radically different from those which
prevailed year ago. Great ilnanciai
distrust existed then. but il has passed
away After a whole year of entire
freedom from disturbance or alarm. IN
which the country has paid every for.
eign Indebtedness. and paid many mil
lions for stocks SGnI from aorcad ana
accumulated credits against other
credits represented by merchandise bal
ances, more than 1920, 100000 in its favor
for the past five months, with deferred
exchanges for more than SIC, 900, held
by New York banks alone. while the
great industries have been pushing
their way into foreign markets with I'M
precedented success. the monetary sit
uation is no longer matter OF anxiety.
More than half a million men in a few
states, according to official reports, are
employed now who were idle year ago
and the general advance in wages for
those employed has gone far to restore
the rates prevailing before the panic.
The volume of business through clear
ing houses for the week. 14.2 per cent
larger than In 1892. has for the month
been o3 per cent larger than in that
year and in many industries and
branches OF business the latter months
of this year have surpassed all rec
ords.
The iron industry has been greatly en-
couraged by increased demand during
the past few weeks, and while the slight
improvement in pig iron at Pittsburg
has been maintained, notwithstanding
the greatest output ever known, the
new contracts for finished products
have been unusual for the season. They
include 10000 tons of steel rails to one
Eastern mill; 1000 tons of structural
work for improvements at New York
alone, with large operations at Chicago
and other cities and q greatly increased
demand for forged materials generally.
and especially for sheets. Minor met
ais have been rather weak, with tin at
1880 a ton and copper at $10.S7. in spite
of large exports, while lead Is quoted
at $3.72ia and spelter at $685. The best
Bessemer full weight tin plate are SELL
ing at $3.05 against $40 for foreign. No
change in the price Of coke appears.
though the shipments were the largest
for any week this year.
| The cotton industry is halted by the
/ question of wages, although general
/ reduction now seems probable The
manufacturers have been buying large
| ly of material for worsted goods and
| their purchases have stimulated buying
| by wool manufacturers, so that the wool
/ markets are stronger though wool
! changes in quotations
After the great excitement at Chicago
| wheat stlll goes out of the country as
! largely as before. Atlantic ports, 1870.
1873 bushels, -four included. against
/ 1,5d2.5 $40 last year and from Pacific
ports, 1,112, 625 bushels. In four weeks
the Atlantic exports, flour included
have been 15,601.0 47 bushels, against
$500 t61 last year.
Heavy Western receipts are only re-
| hecting temporary conditions in the
Chicago market. But the extraordinary
exports of corn Ia 404 g05 bushels
against 9.i4d,S SOB bushels in the foui
weeks last year, show how sorely the
foreign markets are pushed by the in
creasing demand for breadstuffs. What
has declined fve-eights of a cent with
the Chicago market, and corn has mean
while advanced three-quarters Of cent
Failures for the week have been 50,
in tn United States, against 439 last
year, and Il in Canada, against 50 las
year.