The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-08-13
WEEKLY REVIEW OF TRADE
CURIOUS INFLUENCE OF PEACE
 PROSPECTS ON CONTRA CTS.
Rarely Has the Financial Outlook Been More Nearly Unclouded-In Spite of Kate Wars the Railroads Are Doing an Enormous and Profitable Business.

Enormous and Profitable Bnsincss.
 New York, Aug. 12.-R. G. Dun & Co.'S weekly review of trade to-mor- row will say: Prospects of peace have had a curious influence on business contracts, not quite explainable on common sense grounds. Nobody really feared disaster, or exhaustion of na- tional resources, and nobody feared that anybody else was afraid of either. have been placed since Spain asked for peace. In some industries the gain has been large for about two weeks, while in some textile manufacturs it has only begun to appear this week, but it in- wolves considerable increase in the working force. Crop prospects are on the whole more encouraging, for the governments latest report as to corn is much larger than the commercial es- inmates, and it's cotton return promises a heavy yield, while allowance is made for it's habitual error in it's wheat re- turn. Money markets show no sign of possible disturbance, securities are stronger, and there is no harmful spec has the financial outlook been more nearly unclouded.
 While wheat is four cents higher for the week, there is less doubt than a week ago that it will rule lower during the coming year. The price of sern has declined shade for cash and the gov ernment report promising almost 2,000,- 000,000 bushls against 1895, 1000 bush els promised by commercial accounts, has more weight because the official returns as to corn have not been sys- tematically misleading and everywhere discredited. A slight furry in cotton lifted the price a sixteenth on Tues day, but it dropped again the next day with the official foreshadowing of large yield. In spite of all wars of ratest, the railroads are doing an enor- nous and profitable business, with a heavy years traffic to come. The de- mand for steel is so heavy that some of the biggest concerns have been buy ing, one taking 10000 tons, advancing the price at Pittsburg from $14.50 to $l5.25, which was at last refused. Bes- semer pig is steady and other pig firm, but rails have been advanced by eastern makers to SIS per ton, the mak- CTS of structural beams have advance ed the price s1 per ton and makers of merchant pipe have advanced the price 5 per cent, while plate makers are crowded to the point of refusing or ders, both east and west, and bars are stronger, with many mills engaged for weeks ahead.
 In the minor metals there is heavy buying, especially of copper at 11.75 cents for lake, and of lead which closed at four cents, while tin rose with Lon don quotations to 1925 cents. The de- | mand for wooden goods is now much better, although not extensive enough to warrant paying the prices asked for | new wool and nearly all the buying has | been of old stock. Nothing more has come from proposed stoppage of pro- | duction in Fall River cotton mills and | the mills are generally running full | time. The demand for goods is lit tie better as to staples, and fairly good for print cloths prints and ginghams, | and yet probably does not suffice to cover the current outpN The eastern boot and shoe concerns Shipments dur | ing the past two weeks were per cent less than in 1885 There is still dispute between holders and buyers, and leather is inactive and hides slight | ly lower. For the week failures have been 196 in the United States against 239 last year and IS in Canada against | 3S last year.