The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-02
TREND or TRADE.

fn Spite of"War Searon Failures for Inc
Fast Three Months arc Smaller Thnn Any,
Year Since lssG- -isn,insss II, Fair Shape.
NEW YORK, April l.--R. G. Dun &
company,s weekly review OF trade viii
say to-morrow; n
In spite OF foreign conditions slnce the
destruction OF tse Maine" February %,
failures in three months are smaller
than in the first quarter of any year
since 1886; the ratio OF defaulted liabil--.
ities to payments through clearing
houses has been the smallest for that
quarter since 1851; the average OF liabll-
tiles per firm in business has been the
smallest since 1880 and the average OF
liabilities per failure has been lower
than ever before in any quarter 1t is
Is especially significant that the failures
for less than sl00. 900 without materially
decreased In number, were twenty-ntne
per cent smaller than last yearlin man
ufacturing and twentv-four per cent
smaller In trading. ~, 29
[ The war cloud, which many have in-
ferred must have greatly increased
commercial disasters, does not appear
10 have any such effect as yet, and while
there is some decline In the new orders
for industries, nearly all live works are
covered so far ahead that the difference
is not felt Rates for money have ad-
vanced and the 6 per cent which used to
be the ruling rate In active times again
prevails, which comnels many specula-
tors to liqui1ate. But the imports OF
gold so far prevent any real anxiety.
Moreover, although part of the hypo-
thecated exchange EG on Europe has
been sold and ordered against 1t, there
is known to be about ,sS0,00o.0Oo more
yet in the. banks at New York and sle,-
500, 900 in other cities against which gold
Is liable TO be imported because there Is
small prospect Of any better settle
ment. =
III Outgo or BreHiistufrs.
The outgo OF breadstuffs continues,
Atlantic exports being 2,5ls,22O bushels
-four included, for the week. against
E2,1S5,37S bushels last year, ard Pacific
exports, 542,l47 bushels, against 13S.201
(. last year and for the past five weeks
from both coasts the exports have been
|16,592,917 bushels, against S, 22s.2S6 last
H.
! the west have been, less influential than
this heavy and continued buying iOs
grain. and western receipts begin 10 fil
OF as Il supplies were no longer un-
limited. Wheat has declined slightly,
but corn has advanced one-quarter cent
for the week and no one imagines that
foreign troubles can check the outgot
The smallest sales OF wool for many
years are reported at Boston and at
the three chief markets sales have been
only 1.466.5O0 pounds for the week and
about fifth Of last years for the quar-
ter. The stocks held by manufacturers
have evidently been much greater than
anybody supposed, and they are otyet
buying after several months of waiting,
nor showing any disposition TO buy,
though nearly all their works are run
ming full. @
Iron and Steel Industry.
The iron and steel market shows no
decrease for with works fully employed
and some additional works put into op-
Grafton for government purposes. pig lis
not lower anywhere, and at Pittsburgh
q shade higher for Bessemer because
OF agreement bE Valley producers, while
without agreement OF Mesaba mines the
purchases Of ore at Cleveland were oy-
er million tons for the week. Billets
are still scarce. and sheet bars In de-
mand, though wire rods are lower, and
wire nails are weaker in spite OF the
imperfect combination OF makers. Oth-
er prices for manufactured products are
unchanged. although rails are shade
stronger with q Russian order pending
for $1,000 tons to complete the Pacific
railway and plates are in very heavy
demand, 5000 tons for cars and 1000
tons for other use at Pittsburgh with
10000 more originating at Chicago and
structural orders cover 1900 tons for
buildings at the east. with 1000 more at
Pittsburgh and many at Chicago.
Failures for the week have been 800
in the United States. against go last
year and twcnty-seveH in Canada,
against forty-two last year.