The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-04-26
Dun AND BRADSTREET
business Contracted Owing
to War Conditions.
RAILWAY EARNINGS GOOD
BlI STOCKS DECLINE OWING TO
LACK OF NERVE.
HEAVY DEMAND FOR IRON CONTINUES
The Foreign Demand for Wheat is Extremely
Heavy-.Corn Exports are also Great
failures in United States
for Week 2O4.

to-morr0W:
The war is no longer to be avoided.
and business is somewhat contracted by
banker approximations. There is no OK
cnsn except for want Of nerve. for de-
cline III railway stocks when earnings
have been 14.3 per cent. larger than
last year for the first half Of April. and
Is per cent. larger than 1892. with rail
way tonnage eastbonnd from Chicago
about 10 per cent larger than III 1897.
Neither are Clearing House transactions
gloomy. The weeks payments We're
$50 per cent. larger than last year, and
6-b per cent. larger than in 1892.
In no aspect can the wheat market he
considered without finding just occasion
for Z material advance III prices. which
has been 30 per cent. for the week.
The exports from Atlantic coast ports
have been 3.1O4,:3O3 bushels. flour in
Guided. against 1.19O.302 last year. and
from Pacific coast points 43J,6S6 bush
els, against G}.23 last year. making for
the three weeks Of April S.3S9.492 bush
els from Atlantic ports, against BOSS
11O bushels last year. and from Pacific
ports 2,523,62 bushels, against 712.S11
y III SitIlc NttkS liSl year. 1 Ht en-
ports Of corn during the same three
weeks have beer 11.34O.1 1888 bushels,
against 1O.221.1 61 bushels last year.
which is strong evidence that the de-
mand for wheat is in no sense fictitious.
The enormous iron production does
not diminish. and the demand for finish
cd products IS heavy.
No decrease in prices appear. and the
prdfhfction continues practically I'M
changed 1T the highest pont ever known
although in eastern markets the output
is considered somewhat III excess Of the
supply. Copper is stronger, With de-
mand for consumption.
In woolenS the heavy cancellations re-
Gently reported prove TO be in large
measure requests for deferred deliveries.
but Il better demand has been seen dur
ing the past week. in some quarters on
account OF large government orders In
cotton goods the resumption Of work by
several large mills has increased the out
put. and the demand does not appear
to have diminished.
Failures for the week have been oO4
in the United States. against 21S last
year. and % in Canada. against y last
year.
BRADSTREETS REPORT.
New York. April - radstreet's to-
morrow will say:
General trade and speculation this
week have exhibited most Of the char
acteristics which have become popularity
associated with the near approach Of
hostilities. While there is reported a
further quoting OF distributivc trade in
some lines at the East and South. trace
able almost directly to anticipated war
like conditions. there is 4 lack Of rcg1-
iaritN even in the reports from those
centers which serve TO show that now
that the uncertainty 50 long prevailing
has been diSpelled trade conditions are
being shaped to the new order Of things.
There is consequently greatly increased
activity in many special lines at the
Seaboard, accompanied by excited mar
kets and heavy price advances. While
trade in the interior sy~mpathizes to 4
certain extent with this price movement,
there is still a perceptibly good trade re
ported entirely outside Of this, which
serves to prove that the prospect Of war
has not had nearly rs much effect in
land as it has had on the coast.
In commercial lines this week much in
terest and activity has been manifested
III the speculative and actual demand for
leading staples. such as wheat. corn.
oats. flour. coffee, sugar, most pork pro-
ducts and cotton. \ reflection of this
active demand which had its rise. so far
as wheat and cotton are concerned.
among foreign buyers who wish to anti
cinate any possible intcrruption Of sup
plies. is found in the movement of prices.
which. for the first time for many weeks
past. shows 4 general upward tendency.
The advances in coffee. sugar and rice
are directly traceable to war Influences.
n,,rkino AZ thov do either ! desire on
tho mart Of domestic buyers to protect
themselves against any possible 1nferfhp-
'i@' - suppl'ts 'r o cmt the''i ;narea cod ~
- " 80 - rann,,ant c,rafn,
r'n ~ ,aa;ans for stanln