The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-03-22
PEACE OR WAR REPORTS DO
NOT CHECK BUSINESS.
oUTGoOF C0TT0NsURPAssEs ALL HOPES
Wheat Makes a Good Showing Bessemer
Pig Strong at Pittsburg- Cotton Goods
Are Dull and Lower Woolen
Goods Advance,
Goods Advance.

Neither peace nor war reports have
changed the onward cur.rnt of business.
Orders for more than $4,000. 900 gold
from Europe have blocked any drift
toward s%tringency in rates for money,
and Treasury receipts of about 81, 1O0,-
. per day have kept il check any
question about the currency. while cX-
ports of products have continued at u
rate considerably increased, and the de-
mand for products of The great indus
tries shows steady expansion. Prompt
action by the Senate and House has re-
move fear of embarrassment through
conflicting purposes at Washington. The
government is making ready any waste.
of time, while frankly assuring every
body that it looks for 4 peaceful settle
ment and hopes that liz preparations
may prove unnecessary.
The backbone of the situltion is the
excess of merchandise exports. more
than S41 900, 900 in February with IN
increase of 5000. 900 in miscellaneous
products. 50. 100, 900 in provisions. 81
100000 in cotton, and S1.G0O,OO0 in
bread-stuffs compared with last year.
against S15,1OO.O00 in all prnductS. In
two weeks of Mar.4 exports have been
1O per cent larger than last year, ami
imports have gained but S.I per cent.
although especially swelled by receipts
of india rubber, sugar and hides. The
outgo of cotton surpasses all eXpccta-
tons, though the price was stronger
last week. and the export demand ap-
p%arentiy paid no attention to market
fluctuations Receipts from plantations
continue much greater than at the
corresponding date from the largest
,,rn,. nrn ,r,J,,anJ c, that ,,nr.a.
about the future crop are now the main
reliance of spectators.
Wheat also moves III spite of all spec
u%lation. Atlantic exports. flour inclu-
ded have been 1924, 800 bushels, AGAINST
l.2o3,39o last year. and from Pacific
ports 1871 ,S26 bushels. against .t;S. 800
last year. making for three week; from
both coasts TO- 59 10 bushels. a=ainS;
4.53S.441 last year. The price has vi
1ied with conflicting reports, but closed
II higher for the week. Wool shows no
change i'll quotations. though eastern
markets are extremely dull. and the in
difference of manufacturer has made
transactions only 2,O62.30O pounds.
against 1o.S91 800 for the corresponding
week last year, and 5.OSS.200 for the
corresponding week in 1892. The Lon
don market is rather higher, and hold
orS IN the interior are expecting Il ma
terial advance in prices.
Little encouragement appears in the
market for cotton goods. with Print
cloths Il sixteenth lower chan Il week
ago. and standard grades undersold by
many of less note. The demand Is large
but not large enough. In wooden goods,
on the contrary. the material advance
i'll prices has raised the only obstacle to
increased transactions. and somewhat
r,,,,,r n,,.al1,t;,n, i,I:.a+n 4I..
dealers have been disappointed in their
distribution. The small yielding III Woo,
may result in a greater decline if this
tendency in the manufacture continues.
BeSsemer pig and grey forge are both
slightly stronger at Pittsburg, the pro
posed combination of valley furnaces
helping, but pig is not changed i'll price
elsewhere. nor arc finished products at
IN point, excepting wire nails, which
are five cents per key weaker. and steel
rail which are said u be sold at S11.oO
at the east by some Establishments.
Contracts have been made for 10000
tons with eastern works for domestic
delivery. 12.Gvv tons for Australia. s.
600 tons with 1000 tons bridge work
for South Africa and the Illinois Steel
Company is filled with orders for the
wear. The Carnegie Company has sold
1000 tons deck plates to ship builders
of England. and several Chica 90 orders
for plates exceeding 1000 tons each are
for railroads, car and agricultural i'm
PIGMENT manufacturers and ~proJectllc
works. The wire combination having
failed TO effect the broader arrangement
contemplated is seeking to complete
control of about 50 per cent of the wire
output Of the country. While activity
Is great in the central and western re-
Glun there is less demand at the east.
Failures for the week nave been 0
ln the United States. against 2l6 last
year. and - i'll Canada, against 80
last year.
BRADSTREET'S REPORT.
New York. March 1S.-Bradstreet's to-
mo. cow will say:
The aggregate volume Of the country's
business continues sufficiently large to
allow of favorable comparisons with past
periods alike in this and III preceding
Years. Aside from Il quoting III de-
mand ut a few leading Eastern markets,
where uncertainty as to the outcome OF
foreign complications is advanced as Il
reason for unwillingness to embark in
new business, the situation is one pos
s~cssinG nearly all of the favorable fea-
lures noted for some time past. The
best reports as to distribution in lead
ing lines come from the central west
and the northwest. Favosablc weather
has improved distribution of dry goods,
clothing, millinery, building materials,
agricultural implements and nearly all
others products forming staple articles
of consumption among the prosperous
farming community. The movement of
iron and steel is especially large but
Without effect on prices, which are gem
,..l l- G,I- IL
vnnces i'll pig iron, in fact, have been a
feature Of the week at some markets.
fruit and vegetable shipments promises
alike TO lie early and heavy. Distribu-