The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-08


Largest Ever Ixnown.-A Satisfactory
Half Year OF the Trade Espsetsd-con-
dl,ion of Other Lines In Encouraging
Shape.
NEW YORK, Jan. 7.--R. G. Dun &
Co.'S weekly review Of trade viii cay
In Its issue tomorrow:
In failures, 1897 was not only the best
year since 1892. but on the whole the
best ever definitely known. With 1882
failures, in number Ills per cent less
than 1895 and slse5Sl,77l defaulted LA
blllties, $40 per cent less than In 1885.
the years banking failures counted for
SOS, ,2as,700 and the commercial failures
were but 1851, with liabilities OF sist,-7
s3o,07l, the average per failure being
only sl1.55s. the lowest eve. known ex-S
cept in 1892. But even in that year, the
failures during the last half averaged
liabilities OF slo.477 per failure, while In
the last half OF 1897. the average was
only ss,593. The returns by branches
OF business show that In fifteen out OF
classes the failures were
lower than In any previous year or
which there Is record with especially
large decrease in the great number OF
unclasslled manufacturing and trad
ins failures. Moreover the wear show
ed reu,arka BILE decreases, US some oiher
prosperous years have shown In COM
pairing the second with the first hall,
The new year began with disappo!nt-
ment for spectators In stocks and
grain, which IS not bad sign. Prices
OF stocks have gained a little. after
yielding at FIRST and closed seventy
three cents per share higher for rail-
roads and 81 05 per share higher for
trusts.
Wheat declined lac, owing to the.
termination OF the corner at Chicago,
and western receipts were about dou-.
BILE last years. With Atlantic exports
2,S;0,SlS bushels; flour included agaihst
o.15o. sO9 last year, 4 speculative esti-
mate makes the quantity still In far
mer's hands 40 per cent OF the crop
which Is quite possible. but the con-
sumption and exports in half the year
ought to take more the more than 40
per cent OF the years supply. a fleet OF.
vessels is reported at Baltimore or on
tho wny thIther for wheat Exports OF
corn for the week fell below last years,
although western receipts are unusual
IL large and the price fell but &c. Cot
ton was a disappointment 10 many be-
cause II did not change at all in spot
price. although the account OF reouc-
tion in wages by New England WORKS
warrant hope OF larger consumption.
Cotton manufacture is little encour--
aged by larger demand for goods since
the reduction in prices and the absten-
tlon of buyers for months past has
probably been due In 4 large measure
TO the expectation OF that reduction.
But with the certainty that the print
cloth works are to continue, prices
have furher declined to 2.12c.
The woolen and worsted mills are
both buying wool quite largely at prices
probably close to the best, reports OF
which declared there were no conces-
sions month ago are now rejoicing
that recent raggedness In prices has
passed away. Behind all the market
reports there Is the fact that consump-
zion OF wool has for about five months
been the largest ever known. and the
buyirg indicates. as does the demand
for such heavy weight goods as has
been opened, that satisfactory half
year Is expected. Prices SO far paid are
said to be from 20 to 80 per cent higher
than e year ago with wool from so to 30
per cent higher.
The iron manufacture has been fur
ther encouraged by unusual business
for the season. including large build
ing contract made and others for
bridges pending at Chicago, . sale Of
0,o0O tons pigs to one pipe foundry at
the east and contract for two vessels
OF 5000 tons each at Cramp3 yards and
contracts for $500 tons hoop at New
York and 500 for Mexico.
Prices are generally unchanged
though eastern works have advanced
structural beams SC to 81 Is. Pig Is un-
changed with fairly large sales. Visi-
bic supplies OF tin are 29,S55 tons,
against s2,342 year ago. with 1S.7c
quoted, and with exports OF 1896 tons
OF copper in December and $4,000 tons
for the ycar, lie Is now quoted Tor lake.
The coke output continues heavy and
the output OF anthracite coal was Al
200 600 tons IN 1897, though the con-
sumption was about 100000 tons
smaller and there are sales of 50 So per
ton hIsherA
Failures for the week have been 500
in the United States, against All last
year, and In Canada, %, against 62 last
ycur.
Rig Order for Steel Rails. K.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. Jan. 1.-THE
Pennsylvania Railroad Company has
nlaced its first order for steel rnils to