The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-01-26
BEYOND PRECEDENT.
Extraordinary Demand for Finished Iron
Products.

Products.
n. q. Dun & Co.'S weekly review
says
With volume OF business refnarka-
BILE for the time of the year--3S pep
cent. larger than year ago and 104
per cent. larger than in 1892 In pay
ments through clearing houses-it Is
not discouraging that one or two In
dustries are tagging. The demand Tor
most goods IL more heavy for the sea-
son, manufacturing works are better
employed and orders booked and In
prospect for the future are more en-
couraging at this season than In
any other of which equally definite re-
cords exist. Exports OF products con-
tinue surprisingly heavy, In spite OF
some rise In prices. Treasury receipts
from customs were larger In twenty
days of January than in the entire
months of October or November, and
apprehension regarding the monetary
future Is no longer felt outside OF spec
ulative circles Failures are considera-
bly, smaller than were ever known at
this season. both manufacturing and
trading. less than half last years.
Railroad earnings In January. thus far
reported. have been 17.6 per cent. lurg-
cr than last year. and 1913 per cent
larger than in 1892.
The rise of wheat above 81 in regular
suites was NOT accompanied ny eiHnS VI
speculative excitement. In fact, the
continuance of extraordinary exports.
2,9iJ. I0j bushels. -four included. for the
week from Atlantic ports, against L.
5I3,2 bushels last year, and for three
weeks 9.002. .493 bushels. against 5.559.-
532 bushels last year. besides 4.036,940
bushels from Pacific ports for weeks,
would give excuse for high prices. even
If the corn exports were not enough to
suggest great foreign need, amounting
to 9.270.1S9 bushels, against 10.774,293
bushels for three weeks. The fact that
cargoes of corn were shipped during
the week to Egypt and Russia, the very
countries upon which Europe most re-
lies for breadstuffs next to the United
States, affected trade not unreasonably.
Just when unprecedented production
OF pig iron was causing weakness, ex-
traordinary demand for finished pro-
ducts appears. For this season, at
least, the general demand Is beyond
precedent, including 100000 tons OF
steel rails for the week and 100000 al
| ready this year: orders for plates so
| large that Pittsburg works send away
to other concerns. unable to fill all they
receive; orders for bar such that many
concerns are obliged to refuse more. an
excellent demand for sheets and fair
| for structural forms. Nor does this de-
mand spring from efforts to combine
makers of wire and its products. and
| makers OF TN plates. Prices OF ell mn
ished products are sustained by the de-
/ mand, though besSemer pig is &c low
| er at Pittsburg but pig at Chicago IL
| strong, with some production of finish
| ed forms delayed by its scarcity.
The great strike of operatives in cot
| ton mills Of New England seems as
| convenient to mill owners, with their
| heavy stocks unsold. as II they had or
| dered IL. Probably II will last long
| enough to work off stocks, and the
print cloth market is already about ]
per cent. stronger, while slight ad-
vance is noted in some other cotton
| goods. With very stagnant markets
| for wool. sales amounting to only $685.
200 pounds, at the three chief cities.
which reported over 10000 900 pounds in
one week of September. and 66,500, 900
pounds in four weeks, the inquiry for
round lots is mainly for three eighths
and one-quarter blood, suitable for
cheviots, but have resulted in little
dealing. The mills have taken satis-
factory orders for such goods, probably
not without knowing where they could
| get the wool, and the goods movement
is distinctly encouraging, though quo
| lotions of the higher-priced heavy
weights are still deferred. But a very
! large business for the coming season
| is already assured. according to relia-
BILE accounts entitled to confidence.
Failures for the week have been 374
| In the United States. against 400 last
year. and 30 in Canada, against s. last
year.