Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-05-09
TIE STATE OF TRADE.

EfduSlfeeJ ;.
| Evidences accumulate that the corner
| has finally been turned in the trade slt-
uaton. and that circumstances which
| have hitherto been regarded as dlsqulet-
| ing have begun to give way 10 more
| cheerful conditions, or are beginning to be
| recognized in truer and more reasonable
| light. While it is claimed, and perhaps
| with justice in many cases, that the
changes yet noted are largely sentmen-
| tai, and that little that is tangible IS TO
DE cited in the direction Of Improvement,
| it In not to be forgotten that the dullnesS
and even depression ruling for some time
past was likewise largely sentimental,
! and, it is now beginning to be admitted
| by many, had even less of q basis 10 rest
| upon than the present unmlstakable signs
| of Improvement. a new sense OF natioha
| strength and energy seems unquestlohc
! ably 10 have developed since the news of
| the American victory al Manila, and the
| business community generally, with rev
the conclusion that the possible effects OF
| the present war have been already dis
Among the more favorable features Of
| the week have been the slightly easier
tone in the money market and a little
more disposition on the part OF financial
| demands Of trade Another has been the
| very general foreign recognition OF the
| critical position Of wheat supplies IN the
| lowering or the suspension entirely of i'm
| port wheat duties, notably in Italy,
/ France and Spain. and reflected in adj
vanceS prOportionate TO the import duty
| at the seaboard and the interior. have
broken all records for many years past,
while the eagerness OF foreign buyers TO
| take hold at the advance furnishes testi-
m1ny to the fact that the present wheat
| corner is not due entirely to the fear OF
Interruptions in supplies, nor yet TO the
successful projection of wheat corner
but, TO a considerable extent. to foreign
recognition of the fact that the world
wheat stocks to-day are smaller than they
| have been for many years past, and that
| some time must Vet elapse before the
admittedly good worlds wheat crop pros
| poets find expression in new crops. Part
| ly as Il recognition of tht buoyant tone
| in wheat and other cereals and their prod
ucts, and partly apparently because Of
| the general idea that the present HOSTILE
ties with Spain are not likely TO seriously
menace the general business Of this coun
| try. perceptibly more Cheerful tone
seems to animate the business communl-
| ty. OF considerable Importance also in
| the direction of actually stimulating bus
| mess in some lines are the large orders
| received for equipment and supplies Of
| al lsorts for military use, notably in the
| lines of cotton and wooden goods shoes.
| projectiles and ammunition Of various
sorts. The advance IN prices OF hides and
| the activity at much higher prices repor-
ed in the demand for duck. bunting and
| light wooden cloth are symptoms of this
| stimulation, no less than the reports of
| activity in shipbuilding to supply the
| places of vessels for government use
Partial reflection Of this latter demand
| is found in the immense demand for steel
| plates ~ higher prices and in the large
| business doing al most iron centers in
| pig iron. Features of the week have been
| the placing of two orders for export one
| for a large quantity OF steel plates and
| the other for quantity of light rails
| the latter said to be for delivery in Eng
| land. Cold. rainy weather has tended to
| check the distribution in some sections Of
| the country, notably in the Mississippi
| valley and in the eastern and middle At
| lantic States. The crop situation. as Il
whole. is an excellent one. this being par
| ticularly true of wheat, both winter and
!
| position as regards prices IN the markets
IT. 81 course would be useless to deny
/ that there are some unfavorable features
| in view notably in the cotton and wooden
! industry. In the former, prices have
again struck the lowest price on record
with a quotation of 5-l6c. for standard
grades, and the wooden manufacturing in
dustry is as q whole reported quite de-
| pressed. In contrast with these reports
| chiefly coming from the eastern and mid
! die States cities. are the sales of con-
siderable quantity of raw wool, said to
be for the manufacture of goods ordered
| ny the government The heaviest american
sale of carpets reported for many wears
aggregating III value S2,09900e, is a feature
of trade in New York city. Prices while
low, are reported fully as satisfactory as
expected. and encouraging from the
standpoint Of the large quantity distribu-
| ted and the readiness with which the
goods have been moved. The price sit1la
/ tion is still one of notable strength and
| prices of several of the cereals, notably
iron and steel bars and sheets and plates
tobacco. sugar, lead and copper are high,
or on the week accentuating the verita-
BILE spring rise in prices which occurred
during the month Of April
business failures are slightly smaller
this week. aggregating for the United
States 30, against 2f3 last week WI IN
this week year ago, 26i in 1896 and y. in
1895.
WOOL.