The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-03-15
HEAVY EXPORT DEMAND
LARGE SALE OF COPPER AND
PRICES HIGH.
VOLUME OF IRON AND STEEL VERY LARGE
Bank Clearing Smaller Than in Recent Weeks
Few Unfavorable Features--Close of Ne"
England Cotton Mill Strike Likely TO
Improve Trade Situation.

New OGk. A1dIcl, - " buh ="
Companv's weekly review of trade will
say in it's issue of tomorrow: |
1t is most gratifying that no industry
or branch of business shows any fcStrlc-
tion or hindrancc, but have been rapidly
gaining for the past week and month.
The railways are gaining even while
Spectators are selling their stocks, ana
the demand for products for all the great
industries is increasing. More gold IS
coming from Europe than is needed,
S1O.S6S,O 900 having been ordered during
the past week, and money markets are
nowhere alarmed or stringent, though
reasonably more cautious. The country
rests assured that its industries. almost
all of it's business, the foreign demand
for its products, especially all its re-
sources are beyond the reach Of any
foreign power, and that its honor and
foreign interests are i'll safe hands.
The greatest of all industries is send
ing grain forward as if there were no
limit to the supply. Wheat experts
have been 4,171.497 bushels, flour i'll
Guided, against 1.2GS, III last year from
Atlantic and Pacific ports. and fox two
weeks 7,462, 40 bushels, against 3,O16,-
54G last year. Exports of corn. in spite
of smaller yield, have been 7,1O6,49i
bushels in two weeks, against 9,336,699
last year. when they far surpassed all
records. Wheat declined pa cents, but
corn did not change during the week.
Cotton declined an eighth. sales of fer
tilizers indicating less reduction of acre
age this year than was expected. Ex-
ports of principal products in February
were SCI 63i ,O91 in value, with in
crease over last year of about 30 per
cent. in breadstuff. i'll cotton p per
cent, and % per cent. in the aggregate.
Ihe weekly output of pig iron was 22S.-
1913 tons on February LIST, but 234, 43o
on March LIST, and the increase of unsold
stocks in February was only 0.S52 tons
weekly, leaving 22o.532 tons weekly for
export or consumption. against 21S.4oI
in January, and 215,2i9 in November,
1898, the month of greatest consumption
before this year. For four months pro-
duction has gained a little, but consump-
ton still more, and if preparations for
war last only q few weeks. they will
add much to the demand. Other con
sumption for railroad cars, for vessels
on the lakes, for elevators and oil pipe
lines, for agricultural implement works,
and for sheets. is beyond precedent,
and structural and rail works are crowd
ed with orders, though now receiving
few.
Tihe minor metals are generally strong
CT in demand. Sales for wool for this
week have been the smallest since the
week of greatest alarm in August, 1896,
but not because any mills have stop
ped work. Cotton goods ave Il large
distribution and prices are, generally
%o.1-- tla,,l -, lAal -~,-t
cloths are a shade lower. Prints are
in better demand
Failures for the week have been PAS
in the United States, against 256 last
year, and 36 in Canada, against 81 last
year.
BRADSTHEETS REPORT.
New York, March 11.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow Will say:
Continued activity in nearly all lines
Of distributiyc trade. but more parti-
cularly at the larger cites of the West,
South and the far Northwest is the
most favorable feature coming under
notice. Other favorable features include
the heavier foreign demand for wheat
and -four, as indicated by increased eN,
ports over last week and last year and
bank clearings heavily exceeding CORES
pondlng periods of previous years, though
smaller than in recent weeks. Less ia
vOrable features are few. The volume
of business in the iron and steel trade
is reported very large. with relatively
best reports coming from the West. Pts
iron production shows q further gail
and stocks a slight increase.
Large sales of copper are a feature
and prices are reported higher for the
week, as are also the quotations for In
dian corn, and wheat flour. The indus
trial situation, seems likely to be improv
ed by the ending of the New England
cotton mill strikes.
Business is generally active at tn,
West. Southern and Southwestern buy
ers are more active at st. Louis. Kan
sas City Packing houses report deman,
One-thlrd larger than last year. A per
ceptible Improvement in distribution i
noted at Chicago in many lines of trade
An order for ten thousand tons of stec
rails IS a feature of the weeks bushes
at that city. Trade is of satisfactor7
volume at the Northwest.
Export business in -four and wlhea
from the Pacific coast shows a consid
cradle gain. Boat building is active o.
Alaskan account. A good business i
doing at the South.
business failures in the United State
this week number PAT, against go las
week, 227 in the corresponding week q
1897.
Business failures in the Canadian d,
minlon this week number 81, againS
y last week and ) in 1897.
Larger wheat and flour, but smalle
corn shipments are a feature of expo
trade this. week. Ille total exports {
wheat, flour included from the Unite
States and Canada this week aggregate
4,4S4, II bushels. against 3,252.OO 0 bus
ole 1o.rt x,noJ, I ZOO 400 b11Nbol =, 90
2.791, 100 bushels in 1895 and 3,25S.O
bushels i'll 1894.
Corn exports are smaller, amOuntl1
to only 3.2S5,O56 bushels against 500
600 bushels last week.