The herald., 1898-03-26
Bradstreet,s Renort

NEW YORK, March 25.-Bradstreet's to.
morrow will say:
The favorable features Of the week in
ulstriputive trade have been the reports
coming with few exceptions from all parts
| OF the west and northwest, and marred
only by the checks to business and ship
ments caused by heavy rains and high
condition Of our relations with Spain Is
credited with exercising some effect upon
immediate demands, and upon future un-
ce,ut oertak,ngs In IN the eastern portion Of the
and woolen, most complaining, are those
III which conditions other than foreign
complications have for some time past
been working toward depression. Tie
coarse cotton goods situation does not
improve In any way, and declines In print
cloths to still lower record quotation,
rendering increasingly imminent action by
tion in this line. While some wooden goods
mills have already booked good orders, the
business as whole has not been up to
anticipations. Raw wool, however. does
dtion In the manufactured product in
lower quotations. The condition of the
iron and steel trades Is one which has ex-
cited satisfaction and almost surprise
from a number of widely separated Sec
ttons the report comes of unprecedented
activity In nearly all branches of the trade
Pig iron is higher at several markets and
efforts toward harmopizing production ele-
are being assiduously pushed. Modern
steel plants are reported rushed with or
ders, and consumers demands more than
keep up with the deliveries. Western steel
men are reported buying billets in the east
while eastern shipbuilders are buying steel
plates in the west
The price situation this week is notable
IN showing decreases more numerous than
for some time past. This, of course. in
cludeS many lines In which speculation
plays a marked part. The passing of the
cold wave. with little or no reported dam
age to the growing winter wheat, coupled
with the forward march of agricultural
matters and the anticipated high acreage
In spring wheat, is credited with much of
the depressing influence manifested in ce-
reals this week. Aiding this, of course, Is
the 'discouragement of speculation by the
strong statistical position of the immense
wheat supplies and the uncertainty as to
our political relations. The position of the
nour trade is unsatisfactory for several
reasons. Business is reported as dragging
and production may be restricted.
Flour and corn exports are larger this
week, but those of wheat are smaller
The total exports of wheat, incsiding flour,
aggregate 3,S9631S bushels, against 3e79 ,056
bushels last week, 1,749.10O bushels this
week year ago, and 1,744.0O0 bushels in
1896.
Business failures in the United States
221 In this week a year ago.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
oNStAS SSS AAH&HSidi ISNicW lOmOITOW
will say:
A dull and nervous tone has prevailed in
speculative circles, and while the market
has been general weak and lower, several
sight rallies were produced by the short
interest Attention has been centered to
even greater degree than in the preced-
ing weeks on the relations between Spain
and the United States, and the probability
of matters in that connection coming to q
head. The public is entirely out Of the
market, and the large interests are also
taking comparatively little active interest,
though foreigners were sellers to some
extent. The professional and semi-profes-
sional element has evidently prepared for
any emergency by selling stocks right and
left. Indeed, the liquidation of weak long
holdings has been SO complete that the
further declines failed to bring any no.
ticeable selling by commission houses. On
the other hand, the borrowing demand for
stocks throughout almost the whole active
list has been evidently increasing from
day to. day, and has at times assumed an
unwieldy appearance, in spite of the alb
sence Of any buying power.