The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-05
THE STATE OF TRADE,
II. G.. Dun & Co.

NEW YORK, March Ar c.. Dun 6
Cos Weekly Review OF Trade will say In
It's issue tomorrow:
Stories OF the most reckless sort. dis
proved promptly, and many of them before
they were told, affected speculation IN
stocks last week and at times this week.
but they have not disturbed the industries
and the trade OF the country at all. There
is confidence that the authorities are doing
what is proper 10 provide for public de-
Tense. and business Is moving on with the
assurance that It VIII not be seriously dis
turbed.
In grain, cotton, meat products and
petroleum, markets have been strong, with
gradual increases in the demand for manu-
featured products
Failures in February have been smaller
than In any other month except three of
the previous five months. with remark
able decreases in the failures for $ieo. 600
and over, though in number and amount
the smaller failures show less change than
might have been expected, indicating that
In good times or bad a large proportion is
due to causes apart from the general con-
ditfons OF business. The ratio ef defaulted
liabilities 20 payments through the clear
ing houses Is but sl.u per 81 900. a lower
rate than has appeared in the first quar-
ter or any year except 1880 aud 1881 for
the past tWenty-three years. The best evil
dence o. general Improvement is the fact
that payments through clearing houses FOR
the past week have been = per cent larger
than in 1897. and outside New York the
gain has been 55.2 per cent. for the week
and ass per cent. for February.
Production Of pig iron is the greatest
ever known. Some furnaces have started
in the asst month. but Bessemer biz
let's are so scarce at Chicago that some
works are embarrassed, and heavy pur-
chascs at Pittsburs, including one Of Is. 600
tons have stiffened the price go that Bes-
semer pig and local coke AT Chicago are
stronger than since November l. with gray
forge unchanged at pittsburg. Foundry
az the East is slightly lower basic pig
having been offered in "A sharp compe-
titiOn al about SIC. though Southern max
ers in Alabama and Tennessee, excepting
two. have agreed upon "A plan OF sales
through a commission. The demand for
finished products covers work far ahead
tn plates. structural forms, sheets. pipe
(since the advance m OLD and rails. with
z Chicago sale for q Canadian road in
Alaska. but bar Is weak with the increased
use OF steel. and Tin plates are quoted at
s2.s5. against 81 for the zane quality OF
foreign. TIN Is stronger al Nio2. and lake
copper al sl1.S7.
The strike in cotton mills does nc.
spread. but helps 70 a slightly better de-
nand for goods. while in wOol the trade ia
slow In some finer qualities which nave
been much advanced In price and in these
and other grades well cancellations have
exceeded recorders. indicating less distrib-
utlng than was expected az the advanced
prices Wool has yielded a little. the aver
age or l00 quotations by Coates Brcs. for
domestic being ~ q cents. against 21E
cents February !. and while yielding is
thus far Tor inferior qualities. stocks az
least three years old are pressed for sale.
Wheat has grown stronger. exports con
tinuiRF at a rate which threatens ex-
haustion % supply II the trade reports OF
farmers stocks are correct. From Atlantic
ports :. 426 80 bushels went out (tiour In
cludedi against l,Jss.4l6 last year and
from Pacific ports SCI $50, against s7g SO
bushels last year. The price has risen /
cent bat II is possible that the estimates
% last years stocks though 70 coo 90 bush
els IN excess or the government estimates
may prove too small. Corn mas declined
oniv one-quarter OF a cent. with exports
Of S74s. SO bushels, against 5.ZZI, rs last
Failures for the week have been 81 in
the United States against 2F last year,
ana = fn Canada. against 50 asst year
HradstFeef. Review.
pradxtreet's Tomorrow Will say:
Nearly all signs point to an unprece-
dentsd volume o. business being done or
arranging for al the present time. The az
gress4ve strength Of prices. record breaking
Bank clearlngs and continued large ex-
poFts particularly az tire lower priced ce-
N ir0n ard steel and kindred lines, and gen
orally satisfactory reports as 10 the volume
% spring trade at teadi6E d@stFi11'tVe cen
tiers are among the visible Tea tuFes OF this
weeks trade development. Marty al cs
fha coInfryTs cereal products are higher in
provisions Bose 1er PIX irOn. copper. raw
fss7f0n ard tn. The further advance IN pig
iran this week would san to indicate that
the Hnnease current production - yet vita
OFT visias@ effect on values The price OF
cqprer showed an advance of nearly lc per
pound during February. while the conaarnp-
fsve demand and statistical position are
sszch as to lead 10 confidence. q. least In the
rnalnteH8nce % present pgicss. II not cf
fsgrta@r advance. EeW decreases IN price g
are noted, sugar being the most important
while the iLsk Of staples steady and uu-
changed rumbsrs yogk. coffee. lead and