The record-union., 1898-03-19

iods alike in this and preceding years.
Aside from qrieting demand at few
leading Eastern markets. where uncer-
tainty as to the outcome of foreign
complications is advanced as a reason
for the unwillingness to embark in new
business, the situation is one possess
ing nearly all Of the favorable features
noted for some time past The best
reports as to distribution in leading
lines comes from the Central West and
Northwest.
Favorable weather has improved dis
tribution OF dry goods. clothing, milli-
merry building materials, agricultural
implements and nearly all other prod
ucts forming staple articles for con-
sumption among the prosperous farm
ing community. The movement Of
iron ard steel is specially large. but
without effect on prices. which are
generally very firmly held. Some slight
advances in pig iron, in fact, have been
feature Of the week at some markets.
Southern iron manufacturers are ac-
tive. and fruit and vegetable shipments
promise to be early and heavy. Dis
tributive trade is reported increasing
at the Northwest. navigation is pracu-
cany open on the lakes, and the first
of April will witness a general move
ment Of craft.
Other favorable features Of the coun-
try's general trade situation are sum-
med up in liberal shipments CT leading
cereals, unprecedented totals OF eX-
ports at New York fewer business fan
lIres ard slightly larger bank clear
ings.
Prices nave moved irregularly dur
ing .he week The position Of print
cloths is a very depressed one, prices
during the past week reaching the low
est quotation on record. While low
grade cottons have been weak, the
medium and finer grades have, now
ever, maintained prices, as have also
coffee sugar. molasses, iron and cop
per and raw wool.
Wn=at exports are smaller than last
week, but considerably larger than III
corresponding periods of preceding
years. aggregating 3.625,3 bushels
/ against /, ,494 900 bushels last week, y,
G.9. .OGO bushels last year and l,o9Z,oUo
/ bushels in 1896
Business failures in the United
States this week number 23:i, a.
against 247 last week, 231 in the cor
responding week of 1897 and "O IN
1896. Business failures in the Domln7
ion of Canada number twenty-three'
against thirty-One last week, and thlr-
ty-six in the week of 1891.
EASTERN GRAIN MARKET.
CHICAGO, March 1S-Wheat start
ed firm, July Ac higher at So13QAc
and May 4c higher at 81 04l2 it
was raining throughout the West, io
! n
ing weather was reported in the North
west, and there was a god deal of ap-
prehension of the frost line extending
over the water-sOaked winter wheat
fields. Possible damage from this.
source did not at first result in q
great increase in the buying demand,
but it stopped the selling pressure. anu
shorts anxious 10 cover found il nee
essary to advance their bids material
~ before securing the desired wheat
IN the first forty-fve minutes trad
ing in July was advanced to S5Hc.
Then realizing by scalpers caused re-
action to SJ35c, where the market hung
for a short time. After that the mar
ket gradually became stronger and
trade broadened out considerably. Lat
er advices from Liverpool showed
sharp advances both in cash and the
deferred futures.
California sent quite gloomy crop re-
Iorts, predictions being NAL. that the
crop would not exceed 1000 eco bush
els. That these reports We're taken
seriously in California was evidenced
Icy the number OF covering orders both
70, May and July contracts, but es
pocially for the former which were re-
ceived from that source. Private ad-
vices from the Northwest said that
stores there We're nearly exhausted
The seaboard advices were of Il bull
ish character, an improved foreign de-
nand at better prices being reported.
The price of July reached S6tsc On
shorts buying. Realizing caused i
reaction to SJ%c, but near the end of
the session advanced to S6H G3sc, clos
ing strong at SGhc. Quite Il large
trade was done in May. California
shorts were especially goCG buyers.
Letter was a free seller, but the mar
ket was strong enough to absorb every
thing offered, and probably 50o,u00
bushels were disposed of by the lei
ters around ST 05l2 May sold rs high
as 81 06 and closed at ST 05:;4.
WOOL MARKET.
BOSTON, March 1S.-The CONNER
cial Bulletin" will say tomorrow of
the wool market:
The market continues very dull The
Cuban situation has frightened ont all
markets. If foreign markets continue
TO advance, it is possible thd. some
Australian wool now in bonI may be
exported The fact that the dress
goods offered at auction by order of
assignee this week in New York
brought in some instances less than
half rates show the inadvisa bility of
attempting to push sales.
The London wool auctions advanced
slightly on merinos No reduction
from last weeks Boston prices IS to be.
noted The only sale Of ordinary size
was of 100000 pounds of coarse Terri
tory on basis of 42c The sales Of
the week are 999, 300 pounds domestic
and 415,000 pounds foreign, against L.
l9l 0tO pounds domestic ard :30I. 900
pounds foreign last week, and ::,41G.-
200 pounds domestic and l,549. 900
pounds foreign for the same week last
year. The sales to date show an in
crease of 25,35S, 400 pounds domestic
and u l,242,3U0 pounds foreign from the
sales to the same date In 1874; The
receipts to date show an increase Of