The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-15
DUN's REVIEW OF TRADE.

NEW YORK. Oct. AR. C. Dun & Co. s
Weekly Review of Trade will say tomorrow:
With actual payments through clearing houses
II per cent larger than in the same week OF
1892 it cannot be said that business is in any
sense falling off, and yet many complain
ing because the amount realized profit Is
smaller than formerly realized in good
times. In almost every branch OF business
trade is now transacted on a narrower margin
of profit than in any other time of fair pros
perity. There is a great change, and perhaps
a permanent one. in the percentage OIL prohts
derivable from the trade and manufacture as
we'll as in the profits obtainable by transport
ers. Progressive civilization calls for lower
range of profits and of prices as the volume
OF business transacted increases In order 10
make possible improvement in the conoltion Oh
the working millions.
Wheat business is more active, with prices
about &c higher for spot and nearly &c Tor De
cember options. Very heavy purchases nave
been. made within the past few days, not as
yet reflected in the official record of shipments
Guided have been n'o 41oi 10 bushels against
4,SS6, 0l5 for the same week last year II Is es
pecialy interesting that in spite of the general
disposition of farmers to hold back their wheat
the Western receipts have been for the "eSh
much larger than last year and for two weeks
While attention is now paid to the oInca, re
ports they seem to s ds dr ~ anv pre-
vtous year. The price of corn has advances Gee,
about &c, though the receipts are JUST sow
cotton is a sixteenth lower than weeA feSJ
and the \January option has also lost Few
points, while there is weaker markeI ~
goods. This is partly due TO the oInclal du
mission that the prices of print cloths now
sixteenth below &c, cannot be sustained witn
out a selling agency, which is now ProPoseu
Although the production at Fail River 10 "a "a
excess of demand the difficulty IN OFFICES 10
probably largely due to the belief that Dig
yield OF cotton must reduce the price Oh tiie
material While some wooden mills hdVe
started operations during the week qulItt az "a"
many have stopped. Although wool Is aooue
10 per cent lower than 1t was Fepruary . SHt
manufacturers are not buying and the Inarket
is remarkably dull with sales during tne pase
two weeks of only 6, 49, 700 pounds at the tHIeS
chief markets, against "a 331, 600 last year anu
a. 536 300 in 1896 and 49, 703, 500 in 1872 me gen
eral feeling is that the price of the material
must decline before the manufacture can IIlucn
increase its sales. Orders for goods nave Deeti
a little better and few mills nave Tesullle9i
operations but there is as yet no such aellihlIS
as is necessary to sustain current prices u
wool u
The iron manufacture again reports a snal
increase in the weekly output, ia, 900 TONS
against 213, 043 a month ago, and with the ne
crease in quantity of unsold stocks on manu-
outside the great steel companies the apparent
consumption for the month or Septernper1 49,, Mas
$50 S04 tons against ,503 in August 1neIe
are quite heavy Eastern orders for t0unorS
iron fully supporting prices. ana at Sr 6i1
ettion to sell Southern pig at reduced quota-
tfons The orders for finished products lnclude
a very heavy demand for plates, especlally LOT 10
shipyards several of considerap Die Iilas ~
and an unusually heavy demand for pars: III
pipes Pittsburg has been able 10 place. o[ueIs
for thirty miles of ten-inch pipe ana oiher Or
ders for 100 miles practically closed :,
States, against 223 last year, ana 20 III Se1iio
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