The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-20
TRADE OUTLOOK
MOST CHEERING.
All Indications Point to a Most Excel
lent Fall Business.
BUSINESS IN IRON AND STEEL.
l. Immense at Advanced Prices-Ihe
Expansion i'm Crude Iron Products
is Less Noticcable-Little
Change i'm Cereals.

NEW YORK. Aug. 1s-Bradstreets to-
morrow will say.
Perhaps the most interesting feature
Of the general business situation at pres
ent IS the air Of confidence with which
the mercantile community awaits the APP
proach OF the fall trade period. While,
OF course. based on some degree upon
favorable results already achieved In
many lines IL is unquestionably true
that the nattcrlng crop outlook at home
and the return OF peace. with the eXpec-
tation Of benefits TO our export trade
naturally expected % accrue thereirom'
make for much Of the feeling thus ek-
pressed. Reflection Of the growth Of fall
trade IA found In the steady expansion
now c0ing on I'm bank cleariugs, the i'm
proving demand at higher prices for most
makes OF iron and steel. the generally
favorable railway earnings. which. I'm de-
fault OF a large movement Of crops 70
market point 20 a large return trade
in manufactured goods to the agricul-
tural sections. and the reports of con-
tinued activity IN distributive trade West
and South. with signs of a moderate in
crease IN interest al leading Eastern
markets which hitherto have not shared
largely IN the trade Improvement. The
immense business doing IN iron and steel
products al advanced prices. calls atten-
ton 20 the proportionately less notable
expansion Of crude iron production. Pig
iron statistics. In fact point 10 an even
smaller output for the current month.
some Of which curtaiiment. OF course. IS
naturally based upon midsummer condi-
tions. Advances in many grades OF iron.
notably Bessemer and Southern pig. are
features OF the week.
The situation frr D.r.a d. .-fs.rrr. hat fffffa
change
Tho balance established between phe-
nomenally reduced stocks and active mill
ing demand at home and fair export in
Quiry on the one hand and very ptOmis-
ing crop outlook on the other. lends TO
steadiness in prices and other products
sympathize with wheat.
COTTON Low.
The large supplies OF raw cotton AZ
home and abroad and a prediction Of q
yield this year nearly equal 20 If not *
ceeding that grown a year ago while nat-
urally stimulating the business at the
South has a depressing effect upon the
price Of the raw staples. and quotations
are "a fraction lower for the week and
two cents pound lower than year ago
al this time. Reports as TO collections
the country over are very encouraging
From winter wheat sections especially
reports are very good. Some slOwness is
noted in payments at the Northwest. but
this IS expected % disappear when the
spring wheat crop moves.
BUSINESS FAILURES.
business failures are larger in number
than last week aggregating l9j against
M last week. but compared with 22l I'm
this week a year ago. 2j in 1896. l92 Don
1880, and 2jI I'm 1884,
Buyers are appearing I'm increasing
numburs at leading Western markets.
Bad roads stll restrict business mo New
Orleans. but large fan business IS ex-
pectcd AT Memphis the outlook is for
the heaviest business I'm the history of
the city but damage by cotton worms On
Texas affects trade at Galveston. I'm the
South Atlantic cities reports are OF
perceptibie Improvement I'm trade. on the
Pacific coast. while business is quiet in
California. large crops in Oregon and
Washington are expected 20 make fan
trade lively. AT the East more is doing
az Baltimore.
Southern buyers are increasing I'm num-
Der and stocks are reported heavily Tee
duced
IRON AND STEEL ACTIVE
business is active at Pitisburg. from
and steel being especially so. AT Boston
and New York Cderate Improvement is
noted. The depressed condition 1f the
raw staple tends 20 discourage future
business In cotton goods but print cloths
are firm. and there is less talk of cur-
falling production at Fan River. lu wool
and wOOuen goods business is only mode
crate and manufacturers buy for present
requirements Wheat and corr shipments
are smaller than those of last week bur
are still ahead of last season. Wheat
shipments for the week. including lour
aggregate 3195.93S bushels. as against
3.SzsNG corrected last week. and COM
pared with 53lGN03 in this week iast year
9gl COB boz the corresponding week 0f
1895 e3S9l0 boo 1895. and 3ls2l0o bushels
I'm lS9i
GRAIN EXPORTS.
Since July T. this year. tine exports NJ
wheat aggregate 1880 GG6 bushels against
"a 1880 hols last year.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
3l960I bushels against 3.5ll9l2 bushels
last week. 392q0 3j bushels in 1897. 27Gl f0l
in 1906. 1875. 2iS bushels in 1895 and 10000
bushels Con 18el Since July T. this year.
the exports OF corn aggregate -022N 'i5
bushels against 1965s3 bushels during
the same period last year.
Business failures I'm the Dominion OF
Canada this week number % against 23
last week n in this week year ago. Cd
in 1896 and 1894 and 90 i'm 1885.