Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-05-26
THE BUSINESS SITUATION.

Rradstreet's, 10 its issue for the
last week gives this review oil tue
business situation:
while the reports as to the winter
and spring wheat crops, both as regards
acreage, condition and prospects, seem
tn favor unprecedented yields, anvicos
from the corn crops are hurdly as favor.
able owing to continual wet and cold
weather, tending to cheek termination.
The reports from the cotton crops also
are rather irregular, the backward
spring and lack OF moisture In aomo
sections being complained Of There
seems little doubt, however, that tue
acreage In corn will he very large TINS
yeur, Hnu that its increased value hs q
food product will be more universally
recngpized both at home and abroad
In manufacturing line the reports from
the wooden goods trade are no more
favorable, except where the stimulus
OF army orders Imparts activity, than
some lines OF manufactured products
and raw materials. Rather more tone
10 visible in the cotton goods industry,
and there is tlrmer tendency in prices,
print cloths having recovered slightly
from their unprecedented low quota
tion. Some check to our export trade
in manufactured products is rspurted,
as a result of the higher freight rates
ruling, but, oTsetting this, there are
reported large orders received at interior
points for steel plates, said to be on
foreign government account
Wheat exports are larger than for
two weeks past, aggregating 4,Ooi, s|
hNNa hal In at
week, ., 900, $50 bushels in this week a
year ago. 1906, 600 bushels in 1896
2,754, 600 bushels in 1895, and ., 80, 600
hushels 10 1894. Corn exports are
slightly smaller, aggregating 5,hoO h79
bushels, against COZ, 600 bushels lust
week, 3, 100. 600 bushels in this week a
year ago, i, $50, coo bushels in 1885,
l,032, coo bushels in 1895, and 50l, 600
bushels in 1891.
Business failures for tho week num-
her 2ll, falling oil 80 from last week,
and comparing with 30 in this week a
yenr ago, DIG in 1906 and 206 in 1893.
'Business failures in the Dominion
aggregate Sc, against % last weak, q
in this wsek a year ago, rs in 1896 and
% in 1895. !"
Il. G. Dun G. Co. q Review, issued
Saturday, says:
- In iron, notwithstanding the greatest
output ever known the demand has
caused some advance in besssn,ef pig.
with only slight decline IN the price
of grey forge at PittsburE. but full
quotations are obtained at Chicago and
| Philadelphia. In bars and sheAts the
markets are dull, but at the West are
strongly sustained by demands for car
building. tin plate manufacture, and
other uses. 10 plates and structural
forms all the works arc fully employed,
and generally crowded for months
| ahead. One contract for ak thousand
tons armnr plate 10, Great Britain has
been taken by works far INLAND, with
another OF smaller quantity, showing
| that the export demand, 10 spite oil
higher ocean freight, is not yet ar
rested. Tin ia sustained at IA. o cont,
by large consumption and lake copper
at II cents, 10 Rnite OF American pro
duction amounting to %, 300 tons fol
the month, 10 per cent larger than las
year, with Blight decrease 10 the pro-
duction OF foreign mines.
Tho textile works are doing rathe
better, aven the cotton mills in apitl
of their oyerpruductIUn, for some o
large Importance have recently stRrte,
again, aud print cloths arc a sixteenth
higher. Numerous wooden mills hav
been pushed to new activity by govern
ment orders, and pricss for few grade
of goods are better, with stronge
tone in the market generally. although
some mills of Importance havs stopped
as their orders for the season have rul
out. While sRles OF wool arc small
G,33S, 900 pounds for the three week
past, against u, 963. 700 last year, tn
manufacturers generally have nmpl
stocks, although some are obliged b.
government orders to seek in tn
market grades Of wool which they ha,
not expected to require.
Failures for tho week have been 25
in the United Statea against 24s las
year, and 20 in Canada against 81 las