The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-05-25
Not Waiting for
War Clouds to Pass:
Dun & Co.'S Weekly Review
Of Trade is Most Optimistic
-..No Scare Yet.

New York, May 20.-R G. Dun's
Weekly Review of Trade will say to
morrow
Growing accustomed to war posi-
bilities. which are mostly far from
probabilities of evil, and finding the
nation moving along steadily in It's in.
dustries, people ara grasping the idea
that 1t is throwing away some
months of active and profitable life
to wait cntil war clouds have passed.
Western prosperity has so greatly
overbalanced timidity of eastern cap.
ital that actual, business increases.
Railroad earnings promise better for
May than month ago for April, and
payments through clearing houses for
the week of May show a gain of SO
per cent. over last year aud I 5 per
cent. over 1892 while month ago
the increase over last year was 80 6,
and compared VITA 1892 there was
decrease of II per cent. Several
large contracts, kept back for some
weeks because of hostilities, have
now been placed, and instead of
works closing or reducing their
forces, returns show the starting of
some works long idle, and increase
of force or of hours at others. Gov
ernment work occupies many estab-
lishments, but it counts for little com.
pared with other demands.
The key of sne situation is the
prosperity of the west, which alt.
gether unprecedented marketing of
breadstuffs has caused, with the
prospect of good crops to come.
These prospects, and actual re.
ceipts of wheat amounting to
5.S76,716 bushels for the week,
against 2,439, ,l6s last year. with ad-
vances also in other grain and cattle,
have produced s. demand for rails,
cars. car material, fencing, agricul
tural implements, boots and shoes,
and all textile goods, which was not
anticipated from eastern indications.
Exports after wheat do not disminish.
but in three weeks from Atlantic
ports. -four included, have been
1855, ,5s6 bushels, against 4.77S,742
last year. and from Pacific ports
l.738,l23 bushels, against 610.637
last year. The price of May wheat
fell 4 cents on Saturday. rose I cents
on Tuesday and closed 5 cents higher
for the week.
In iron, Notwithstanding the largest
output ever known, the demand has
caused some advance in Bessemer
pig. with only slight decline in the
price of gray forge at Pittsburg, but
full quotations are obtained at Chi
cago and Philadelphia
The textile works are doing rather
better, even the cotton mills, in spite
of their over production, for some of
large importance have recently start.
ed again, aud print cloths are l-16
higher. Numerous woolen mills have
been pushed to new activity by
government orGers, and prices for a
few grades are better, with strong
er tone in the market generally, al
though some mills of Importance have
stopped. as their orders for the sea-
son have run out.
While sales Of wool are small,
6,35S,90O pounds for the three
weeks past. against 27.963. 700 last
year, the manufacturers have ample
stocks although some are obliged by
government orders to seek iu the
market grades of wool which they
had not expected to require.
Failures for the week have been
$50 in the Unised States, against 248
last year. and 20 in Canada, against
81 last year.