The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-10
Prosperity So Well Established that.
1t Was Not Influenced by the As
sembIing of Congress.
COTTON IS RISING In PRICE
AND THERE is A BETTER DEMAND
FOR WOODEN GOODS.
Enormous Sales of Iron and Steel
Prices Generally Steady or Slight
Iy Higher than a Year Ago.

NEW YORK, Dec 9-R- C. Dun &, Co.'s
weekly review of trade will say tomorrow:
The most significant thing this week has
been the entire absence of the customary
nervous fright before or after the meeting
of Congress, the Presidents message and
the treasurer's report. No one showed the
least alarm and nobody could find occasion
for any. Money and stock and grain mar
kets moved on exactly as if the government
were automatic, certain to do or say no
more than the people had already decided
and expected, and so the gradual betterment
since October continues There is a larger
demand for products in nearly all the great
industries, larger export demand for foreign
needs, a more healthy domestic demand
since seasonable weather arrived and
comforting conviction that November bust
ness, the highest ever done in this country
in any month, was but a step towards some
thing better. .a~s
Exports last year in December were
marvellous but this month are starting far
ahead. The Atlantic wheat exports flour
included have been for the week 1886, 767
bushels, against 4,312, 1877 last year, and Pa
ciic exports 556523 bushels, against $780,
last year and prices have declined 2a4c for
cash, but Western receipts of 1915, 1859
bushels, against 621s,4n from last years
great crop, stops argument. The wheat
does not come out at low prices if the peo-
pie have less to sell than last year at 20
cents more per bushel so the corn exports
were 4,149,5S1, against S,319,OS6 last year, and
such a foreign demand at prices much high
er than last year and with wheat cheaper
is proof of state of things abroad which
Americans hardly appreciate. The price de-
clined only Ac with enormous receipts.
Cotton shared in the export movement
fully, and nevertheless has risen 3-16c in
price with feeling that estimates of yield
may have been excessive. At the extremely
low price yet quoted foreign buyers do not
stop to calculate commercial and mill stocks
on hand. The consumption in this country
is not very large being but little changed
by troubles about wages at the South.
though by more voluntary curtalment in
New England, but the demand for goods is
better and has lifted the price Of print
cloths an eighth and some of the other
goods shade
Wooden goods have been in much better
demand and many of the smaller mills have
been buying after concessions secured by
the larger. The much broader market is
more healthy and promises far more for the
industry, and sales of 1G. 655, 200 pounds in
two weeks past at the three chief markets.
against 10,S52, 200 pounds in the same weeks
of 1892, are quite in line with the demand in
prosperous years. Prices yielded about half
a cent in November according to one hun
dred quotations by Coates Brothers, and
from Philadelphia dispatches appear to be
about a cent lower this week.
The rupture of the inchoate rail combina-
ton, it appears. resulted In lower prices and
larger sales in the first week of sharp COM
petition than Were realized week ago.
Prices were made in some transactions
much lower than were then or are now
quoted. and while SIT at Pittsburg is now
named, special orders are said to command
of Bessemer pig at so at Valley furnaces
and 1000 tons of billets for Pittsburg work
at $3.50 of which 40OGo tons went to a
hoop mill, with 11,000 tons at Chicago at
so and 22,O00 tons of plate by one concern
at P1ttsburg, besides enormous orders for
bars ard plates in and shin build
ing. steamship contract on the Delaware
and contract for 5000 tons for bridges at
Chicago, give some idea of the heavy bust
ness coming forward just when the works
usually expect a season of. idleness and
waiting Pig iron has risen at the East to
$11.5G and quotations average for pig
throughout the country shade higher than
at any time this year, though prices for
finished products have recently been decIin-
ing and are lower than in the early months
of the year.
This weeks failures have been PAS in the
United States against 3l2 last year, and
twenty-five in Canada, against twenty-nine
last year