Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-02-03
.TRA1E OUTLOOK Is GOOD.
First Month Of the New Year Shows
a Decided Increase IN Business
Transactions.
PRICES, HOWEVER, 90 NOT ADVANCE.
spOnsible Larger Demand StilI
for All Kinds of Products Predict
ed-FOreign Demand for Grain on
the Increase-FaIIuresf for Week.

New York. Jan. pr. g. Dun & Co,
in their weekly review of trade. say:
THE first month Of the new year has
brought rather more increase in business,
but less Improvement in prices than was
expected. With payments through clearing
houses 10 per cent larger than in 1892 and
probably the largest ever known in any
month, with railroad earnings 1l.2 per cent.
larger than the best Of past years, the fact
that prices are very low only shows more
clearly the increase in quantities OF prod
uets sold Nor is ere any disposition TO
refuse orders. even at present prices in
deed, the competition Of manufacturers
seeking orders alone prevents rise. Most
Of them have all they can manage. many
working night and DAY and one great steel
concern running on Sunday, but the works
not yet filled with orders are seeking con-
tracts at as low prices as have ever been
made, indicating that even these are not
entirely Improbable. The settlement of
wages on 10 per cent. advance April for
10000 coal miners of the central region,
with other changes, will tend toward a
larger demand for products of all kinds,
though also toward some increase in cost
Of manufacture.
Foreign Demand for Grain.
Wheat has been conspicuous, rising
cents for the week, with SIS cents for May
options Western receipts have been 49,
COS. 053 bushels in four weeks. against $685.
Ill last year. but Atlantic exports have been
7.103574 last year, and Pacific exports for
the week 4.0l5, 5S3 bushels, against 3,454. 995
last year. So heavy an outgo, with wheat
over 81 per bushel and with corn ex-
ports for the four weeks equaling the ex-
traordinary movement of last year, dis
closes the strength of foreign demand even
better than current accounts of dsa appoint
ing shipments from Argentine and poor
prospects in Russia.
The iron manufacture is getting larger
orders for finished products, which crowd
many works almost beyond their capacity,
although some others are still in the mar
ket and keeping prices down.
Failures for the week have been 342 in
the United States, against 331 last year, and
81 In Canada. against 81 last year"
As Bradstreet Sees 1t.
Bradstreet's says:
Favorable conditions IN the trade situa-
ton continue to far outweigh those of an
opposite character. Stormy weather
throughout large section of the country
this week has checked the movement of
merchandise in the consumption, but per-
ceptible increase in the demand for sea-
able goods is reported as already re-
sulting. The last week of the month closes
with increased activity In many lines. a
number of price advances, heavily in
creased banking clearings as compared
with one year ago al nearly all cities an
other considerable drop in the number of
failures reported, large exports of cereals,
ceptible confidence in nearly all branches
Of trade as regards the outlook for spring
business. Another favorable feature Of
the week is the slight but distinct improve
ment in the cotton goods situation. in which
speculative activity is awakening Print
cloths are higher and some makes of gray
and medium weight cottons are more firm
~ leld.
zig iron IS rejecting the effect Of pres
ent unprecedented production. and a fur
Their weakening of prices is recorded at
eastern points. At the west, however. con-
sumption of pig and of the finished products
of iron and steel is reported increasing so
as to hold prices firm. Large sales of bar
steel and rails are reported a Chicago and
St. Louis, with mills refusing to take orders
FOR delivery earlier than late summer.
Boots and shoes hold the late advance and
manufacturers of heavy weights will not
take orders for fall delivery at present
prices. Wool is strong on large sales and
firm prices abroad. Prices of most staple
products are higher on the week; noticeable
instances are those Of wheat which is past
the dollar mark again at many western
markets. The active demand for the Klon-
dixie trade is reflected in canned goods,
stocks of which is reported very low prices
holding late advances. Collections are
generally reported fair, those indicating
backwardness coming most generally from
the south"