The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-03-09
@" TRADE @" REVIEW.
me Business Situation Considsrsd 10 BE- b
GOOD Conditiou


II. q, Dun q Co.'S Weekly Review on
Grade reports as follows for last weeks
Stories Of the most reckless sort, dis1
'roved promptly, and many of them be-
ore they are told, affected speculation
n stocks much last week and at times
his week. but they have not disturbed
he Industries and the trade of the
ountry at all. There Is confidence that
he authorities are doing what Is proper
o provide for public defense, and busi-
less Is moving on with the assurance
hat II will not be seriously disturbed.
Failures In February have been SMALL
'r than any other, month, except three
VI the previous fifty-two months. with
emarkable decrease in the failures for
100000 and over, though In number
ind amount the smaller failures show
ess change than might have been ex-
,ected, indicating that in good times or
'ad large proportion Is due to causes
part from the general condition of
business. The ratio of defaulted la
,ilities to payments through the clear
ng houses is but 81 II per $1,000. n low
,r rate than has appeared In the first
quarter of any year except 1880 and
8s1 Of the past twenty-three years.
Production Of pig iron Is the greatest
ver known, some furnaces having
rtarted in the past month; but besse-
her billets are so scarce at Chicago that
lome works are embarrassed. and
ieavy purchases at Pittsburg, include
ng one OF 25,0O tons. have stiffened the
,rice 50 that bessemer pig and local
ioke at Chicago are stronger than since
November 1, with gray forge unchang-
sd at Pittsburg. Foundry at the East
g slightly lower. basic pig having been
'ffered In sharp competition at about
no, though southern makers In Ala
n VVln a
lave agreed upon a plan of sales
through a commission. The demand for
inished products covers work far
thead In plates. structural forms,
iheets, In pipe since the advance In oil.
md in rails with a Chicago sale for q
canada road to Alaska, but bar Is
weak. with increasing use Of steel. and
in plates are quoted at ~ So. against
"A for the same quality Of foreign. Tin
s stronger at H.20 cents and lake cop
Ser at 11.s7 cents.
The strike ip cotton mills does not
| ipread. but helps to. slightly better
iemand for Some goods, while In wool
ms the business Is slow In some of the
liner qualities, which have been much
advanced in price. and In these and
ither grades as well. cancellations have
ften exceeded recorders, indicating less
distribution than was expected at the
title, the average of 100 quotations by
Coates Bros. for domestic being 202s
.ents, against POSE cents February l,
Ind while yielding Is thus far mainly
n inferior qualities. stocks at least
hree years old are pressed for sale.
Wheat has grown stronger, exports
continuing at rate which threatens
exhaustion of supply IL trade reports OF
armer's stocks are correct. From At
| antic ports 2,426. .240 bushels went out.
iour Included. against 1,36S,416 bushels
asst year, and from Pacific ports, S64. 1898
bushels. against 479,959 bushels last
rear. The price has risen cent. but 1t
possible that the estimates OF last
year's stocks. though 50,000,O00 bushels
n excess of the government estimates
, nay prove too small. Corn has declin-
ID only " of cent, with exports of
! las. .s43 bushels against 5,221.7S5 bush
| ,ls last year.
Failures for the week have been 251
n the United States. against 246 last
year, and 32 In Canada, against 80 last
| year,