The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-01-29
VOLUME IS greater
Railway Earnings and Bank
Clearings Tell the Tale.
WITH BUSINESS FAILURES
Less Than any Fourth Week
in January Recorded.

New York, Jan. 2s.-R. G. Dunn's week.
Iy review of trade will say tomorrow:
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 clear
ing houses 7.3 per cent larger than in 1892.
and probably the largest ever known in
any month; with railroad earning liz per
cent larger than the best Of past years,
the fact that prices are very low only
shows more clearly the increase in guam
titles of products sold. Nor is there any
disposition to refuse orders, even at pre-
sent prices; indeed, the competition of
manufacturers seeking orders alone pre-
vents arise. 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 contracts at as
low prices as have ever been made, indi-
eating that even these are not entirely
Improbable. The settlement of ages on
10 per cent advance April 1, for 200 900
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 man
ufacture.
Wheat has been conspicuous, rising 5
cents for the wee, with SIC for May op-
tons. Western receipts have been IO,0Os,-
053 bushels in four weeks, against 6,OO3, 12S
bushelts last year. but Atlantic exports
have been L. 0O312S bushels in four weeks,
against 7,013 674 bushels last year, and Pa
cifc exports, without Tacoma, for the
week 4,o15,5s3 bushels, against 3,454,995
bushels last year year. So heavy an out
go with wheat over 81 per bushel, and
with corn exports for the four months
equalling the extraordinary movement OF
last year. discloses the strength of for
eign demand even better tain current ac-
counts of Disappointing shipments form
Argentine and poor prospects in Russia
Cotton has risen a sixteenth, notwith-
standing the strikes in the eastern miss.
and the official report OF a decrease of 10.5
per cent in British exports Of cotton
goods last year.
The cotton manufacture is in more diff
ficulty than any other, not merely be-
cause prices do not show much improve
ment nor as yet the demand for goods,
although both are helped by the closing
of many mills, but largely because the
manufacturers and workers have consid-
cred too little the rapidly growing pro-
duction at the south.
The wooden manufacture is doing well,
fine worsted goods having opened at an
advance of 20 per cent over last year. and
the large mills are constantly buying
wool, even at current high prices which
inspires great confidence in the future,
presumably based on larger orders than
are publisly reported. Such purchases Of
wool haveb cen frequent of late, even by
mills supposed to be supplied far ahead.
and one Providence mill appears to have
taken 10000 pounds of worsted wool at
Wheeling this week. Sales at three of the
chief markets have been $3.50 100 pounds.
and for four weeks SO,421.O70 pounds, of
which q, So. $40 pounds were domestic.
against 1854 SOC pounds last year of
which o. 800 pounds were domestic.
The iron manufacturer 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. Pig iron is
steady. except that Bessemer at Pittsburg
is 10 cents lower.
Failures for the week have been $40 in
the United Sites. aginst SS1 last year, and
81 in Canada. against 81 last year.
BRADsTREETs
-. a.,
row will say:
Favorable conditions in the trade s!tua-
ton continue to far outweigh those OF an
opposite character. Stormy weather
throughout a large section of the country
this week has checked the movement of
merchandise in consumption, but per-
ceptibIe increase in the demand for sea-
sonabl 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
increased bank clearings, as compared
with one year ago at nearly all cities, an
other considerable drop in the number Of
failures reported large exports of cereals.
particularly wheat, corn and flour, and
perceptible confidence in nearly all
branches of trade as regards the outlook
for spring business. Another favorable
feature of the week is the slight but dis
tinct improvement in the cotton goods
situation. in which speculative activity is
awakening. Print cloths are higher and
some makes of gray and medium-weight
lotions are more firmly held.
Pig iron is rejecting the effect of pres
ent unprecedented production. and a fur
Their weakening in prices is recorded at
eastern points. At the west, however, con-
sumption of pig and of the finished prod
ucts Of iron and steel is reported in
ereasing so as to hold prices firm Largo
sales OF bar steel and rails are reported
at Chicago and st. Louis, with mills re-
fusing to take orders for delivery earlier
than late summer. Boots and shoes hold
the late advance. and manufacturers OF
heavyweights 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
n