Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-05-19
THE BUSINESS SITUATION.

Bradstreota, in ita issue for the
last week, saya: with the quoting
down OF interest in wheat there has
come a partial shifting of speculative
interest Ia other grains, particularly
cora and oats, and many classes Of pro
vision, with advances in neatly all those
lines. A rather moro confident feeling
seems to pervade the iron trade, which
ia reflected in fractional advances for
leahing Takes of iron AMI steel.
Features of the wesk ere very heavy
sales Of pig iron at many markets. but
IT IL again claimed that stocks have
begun TO accumulate at some points. as
result OF the continued enormous pro-
duction, which is placed at !, 00C, 600
tons per month, Perhaps one of the
most encouraging features of the week,
and one especially acceptable because
OF the hitherto very depressed conui
tions prevailing 10 the reported slight
Improvement in inquiry and in tone in
the wool market at several centres,
1.-The price situation is still one OF
great strength, but particularly SO 10
food products, which are, with few az
ceptions, notably coffee and sugar,
higher on the week.
Wheat exports are slightly larger
than last week, aggregating 3,6S2, 543
bushels against total last week of
., 923, 10 bushels and comparing with
,, 1873, 900 bushels 10 this week year
ago, ], 903, 600 bushels in 1896, >, 397, 600
bushels 10 1895 and 2,42O. 600 bushels
10 1891. Corn exports reflect the turn
ing Of foreign demand from high to
lower priced grains in a total of
COZ, 600 bushels. This is slightly
smaller than the total week ago, bat
is nearly twice that exported in mis-
week last year, and compares with
], Cos, 600 bushels in 1896 ard l,2lo, 900
bushels in 1895.
Business failures in the United
States show a slight gain for the week,
numbering 210, against $40 last week,
25l in this week year ago, go in 1896
and 2l0 in 1898. Failures in the Donin.
lou OF Ca IDA this week number 20.
against - last week, 81 in the week a
year ago, 81 in 1896 and IS in 1895. "
IL. u. Dun 81 Co. q Review holds that
nothing disheartening can DO seen in
the industrial situation except tho clos
ing OF some cotton mills, owing to over
production, and the fall of print cloths
TO 1877 cents. Cotton has not risen
above 9. 81 cents, and many stories of
reduced acreage are current, as year
ago, but they do not weigh much in
view OF actual receipts of 10, 800, 600
bales. The sales of wool have been only
4,Ooo, 900 pounds at the three chief
markets for two weeks, against
u. DO, 400 last year and ,2l6, 40 in
lSa2, but prices are somewhat more
firm, and there ia more demand for
goods, apart from the large government
orders. Tho demand for boots and
shoes having passed all records in re-
cent months, has abated, and yet many
orders are coming forward. Leather ia
rising, with NJ active demand, and
hides at Chicago have advanced about
q per cent this year, and considerably
more than in any other year excepting
1893 and 1894.
THE ouptut of pig iron. 234, JOB tons
weekly May LIST, against 233, $3.50 April
lat, shows practically no change oxcent
ing the increase Of $50 tons wsel,Iy in
charcoal iron. Deductiug the unsold
stocks, which Increased in Anil ~ 5l6
TONS the apparent cnnaumption in that
month was 80 G09 tons daily, against
~, 209 tons daily during tho preyious
four months Tho general expectation
OF expanding demand holds nriees
steady for nil finished products of irnn
ana steel, and with considerable esles
OF Bessemsr mig it is 10 cents higher at
Pittshurg, with other quotations there.
at Cninngo and Philadelphia practically
unchanged. Government orders ara
heavy and yet cover but little of the
consumption, hut higher prices for
wheat have brought enormous demand
for agricultural implements, and also
for locomotives and cars. "