Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-03-10
BUSINESS WORLD DOESN'T ANTIC-
IPATE ANY TROUBLE.
WEEKLY TRADE REPORTS
Dun & Co. Cites Statistics on Failures
to Prove Assertion That There Is
General Improvement in Business
-Prices Of Stap.es Keep up-Bank
Clearings Increase $50 Per Cent.

stories Of the most reckless sort,
though dlspl owed promptly, affected
speculation in stocks last week and
this week, but they have not disturbed
the Industries and trade OF the coun-
ny at all. There is confidence that
the authorities are doing what is
proper to provide for the public de-
LeLse, and business is moving on with
the assurance that it will not be seri-
ously disturbed.
In grain, cotton, malt products and
petroleum the market has been strong.
with gradual increase in demand for
manufactured products.
Failures in February were smaller
IMAM IN any other month, except three
Of the previous five months. The ra-
tic Of detaulted liabilities to payments
though clearing houses is but 81. ZIG
per $1,000, a late lower than has ap-
peared in the first quarter of any year
except 1880 and 1881 of the past
tWenty-three years. The best evil
dence Of general Improvement is the
tact that payments through clearing
IOuses the past week have been %
per cent. larger than in 1892. As
compared with last year the gain was
o6.2 per cent for the week and 40 8
per cent. for February.
The production of pig iron is the
greatest ever known, some additional
furnaces having been started in the
past month. But Bessemer billets are
still so scarce at Chicago that some
works are embarrassed and heavy pur-
chases at Pittsburg stiffened the price
so that bessemer, pig and local coke
at Chicago are stronger than at any
time since November l, with grey forge
unchanged at Pittsburg. Foundry at
the east is slightly lower
because of Pittsburg having
been offered in sharp competition. The
demand for finished products covers
work far ahead in plates, structural
frames, sheets, in pipe (since advance
IN oiD and in rails, with Chicago's
large sale for Canadas road to Alaska,
Put bar is weak with the increasing
us2 of steel. Tin plates are quoted at
$3.50 against 81 for the same quality
of foreign. Lake copper sells at S1137.
The strike in the cotton mills does
not spread, but helps to slightly bet
ter the demand for some goods, while
in Woolens business is slow in some
of the finer qualities and in these and
other grades as we'll cancellations have
also exceeded recorders, indicating less
distributing than was expected at ad-
vanced prices.
Wheat has grown stronger and ex-
ports continue at rate which threat
ems an expectation of the entire sup
ply, If trade reports of farmers stocks
are correct. From Atlantic ports q
426,000 bushels went out (f1our in
cIuded) against 1,36S,OOO last year, and
from Pacific ports $4,000 against
$4,000 last year. The price has risen
enc cent. Corn declined only one
quarter of cent With exports of A.
$4,000 bushels against 5,223,000 last
year.
Failures in the United States for the
week Were Isl against 446 last year.
New York, March 5.-Bradstree1s
weekly trade report says nearly all
signs indicate an unpreced snted vol
uIne OF business being done at the
present tIme. The aggressive strength
ol prices, The record breaking bank
clearInga, the continued large exports,
the very heavy volume of business in
iron and STEEL and kindred INES, and
the generally salts actoIy reports as
20 The volume of spring trade at the
ieaulng dAst1lOutlVe cenJers are among
the Visible features OF this
tfade development. Nearly all cereal
products are higher in price, as also
are some varieties of provisions, bes-
semer pig iron, copper, raw cotton and
TIN. The further advance in pig iron
would seem 10 indicate that the i'm
nense production is as yet without Wis
lbIe effect on values. The price OF
copper showed an advance of nearly
me cent per pound during February
while the conAumptiVe demand was
such as to lead to conference at least
IN the maintenance of prices, if not
Tor further advance. Few decreases
in prices are noted, sugar being the
most important, while staples, steady
and unchanged, number pork, coffee,
lead, and print cloths. Trading is
larger than usual in the central west,
particularly in dfy-goods, groceries,
boots, shoes, hardware, lumber and
agricultural implements, the demand
for the latter being notable feature.
Cotton goods display strength. Cling
hams are in better demand than for
several years past. Spring business in
WOODEN goods has been somewhat dis
but a good demand for
mems wear goods for fall delivery is
and mills are well supplied
with orders. The total exports of
wheat (1our included) from the United !,
States and Canada were 1885 900 bush !
els as against 2,075,000 for this week a
year ago. Corn exports amounted to |
) ,055,000 bushels, against 5,255 900 for |
the week a year ago.
The total bank clearings Of the prin-
cipal cities Of the United States for
the week were 1854, 855 POS; an in |
crease of $50 per cent. as compared |
with the corresponding week of last
year.