The age-herald., 1898-03-26
THAT WAITING
 STATE OF THINGS
Has Served to Hinder Business During the Past Week.
HARD TO TAKE DISMAL VIEW
When Nation Is Surpassing All Records in Mar keting Products-Produciion of Besse- mer Iron Beyond All Precedent and
 Still Prces Advance.

New York, March 25.-R. G. Dud & Co.'S weekly review of trade will say tomorrow: A waiting state of things always flinders business to some extent. With more than $34, ,000, 900 in gold received or on its way since this movement began, with ample bank reserves and treasury reserves and redemptions already nearly third smaller than in February to date with no stringen- cy in the money market and sterling ex change weak, with the volume of business at clearing houses outside New York larg CT than in 1892 by 6.9 per cent, this month, and with failures nearly 30 per cent. small CT than last year and 52 per cent smaller than in the same month of 1892, there Is not much visible ground for panic, even if earnest efforts should fail to keep peace with honor. Warlike reports come every day and stock operators make the most of them and yet the average of prices or railroad stocks is $53.0S against $53.20 two weeks ago today. Nor have industrial op- erations been perceptibly effected except where extraordinary buying for some weeks past has made necessary pause for breath, so to speak, where unnatural prices had causedA halt before the destruc- tion of the Maine.
 No Dismal Views
 It is difficult to take dismal views when the nation is surpassing all records in mar keting products Atlantic exports of wheat for the week have been 2,160,S26 bushels, against i 272 2S6 last year and in four weeks 9,3O2, ,514 (fiour included) against 5,103,427 last year. The price has declined 2B cents, but the heavy shipments and the contracts for export are having a constant infiu- ence.
 Corn has declined only a small fraction with exports net sixth lower than year ago this date
 Cotton has fallen a sixteenth in spite of large exports because sales of fertilizers and other evidences indicate that cur ,ail- ment of acreage this year will be less than expected. Domestic exports from New York in two weeks have been s, ,10S ,O00 or SIS per cent. larger than last year, while imports have been scarcely larger foreshadowing exports again exceeding $100 900 for the month and $24 1000 over imports.
 Sales of wool have been only 1,4l1 600 pounds in three weeks at the three chief markets, against 46,605, 300 last year. Prices are yielding with sales of old wool 1e to cent below current quotations for clothing.
 Cotton mills at Fall River still increase their accumulated stocks, about 2,0JO,O.0 pieces, and prices have declined to the lowest quotation record. Some prints have also weakened, but ginghams are firm and the better grades of dress goods are sold well ahead.
 Iron and Steel Industry
 The iron and steel industry is more fully employed than ever before in its history, and although production of Bessemer pig is beyond all precedent, the price advances and billets are still bought in open market by some of the largest producers. The structural demand during the first quarter was 80 per cent. larger than in the same quarter of any previous year, and it is said the demand for pipe is swelled by pending contracts for 126 miles.
 ~lr L1N. United States, against 291 last year, and 21 in Canada against 50 last year.
 WHAT BRADSTREET SAYS
 New York, March 25.-Bradstreets to- morrow will say:
 The favorable features of the week in distrlbutve trafls have been the reports coming with few exceptions. from all parts of the northwest and west. The unset tied condition of our relations with Spain Is credited with exercising some effect upon immediate demand and future under takings in the eastern portion of the coun- try. But two industries, cotton and wool en, most complaining are those on which conditions other than foreign complica- tions have for some time past been to- ward depression. The coarse cotton goods situation does not improve in any way and decines dn print cloths to still lower record quotation have taken place. While some wooden goods mills have already booked good orders the business done as 8 whole has net been up to anticipations Raw wool, however, does not reflect the rather unsatisfactory condition in the manufactured product in lower quotations The condition of the iron and steel trade is one which excites satisfaction and al- most surprise. From a number of widely separated sections the rsport comes of unprecedented activity in nearly all branches of the trade
 Pig Iron Higher
 Pig iron is higher at several markets and efforts toward harmonizing produc- ing clements in crude and manufactured products are being asSlduously pushed. Modern steel paants are reported rushed with orders and demands more than keep up with the deliveries.
 The passage of the cold wave, with Nit tle or no reported damage to the growing winter wheat, coupled with the general forward condition of agricultural matters is credited with much of the depressing influence in cereals.
 Flour and corn exports are larger this