The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-12-14
REVIEW OF TRADE.

Exports at This Season far Ahead of Last Year
Improvement in Cotton and Wooicn Goods.
r. G. Dun & Co.'S weekly review of
trade reports as follows for last week:
The most significant thing this week
has been the entire absence Of the Gus
tomary nervous fright before or after
the meeting of congress, the presi-
dents message and the treasurer's re-
port. No one showed the least alarm.
and nobody could find occasion for
any. Money and stock and grain mar
kets moved on exactly as II the gov
ernment were automatic, certain to do
or say no more than the people had
already decided and expected, and so
the gradual betterment since October
continues.
There Is n larger demand for pro-
ducts in nearly all the great Industries.
larger export demand for foreign
needs. more healthy domestic demand
since seasonable weather arrived and
comforting conviction that November
business, the biggest ever done in this
country In any month. was but a step
toward something better.
Exports last year In December we're
marvellous, but this year are starting
far ahead. The Atlantic wheat ex-
ports, flour included, have bsen for the
week 1886 767 bushels. against 4,312,137
bushels last year, and Pacific exports
556,523 bushels, against 973,0S3 bushels
last year, and prices have declined 2hc
for cash. but western receipts of 10,-
1876, 1863 bushels, against 6,2l3. All bushels
from last years great crop. stops ar
gument
Cotton shared in the export move
ment fully and nevertheless has risen
S-16c in price, with a feeling that esti-
mates of yield may have been ecces-
ha tra ,Alt
quoted, foreign buyers do not stop to
calculate commercial and mill stocks
on hand. The consumption in this
country Is not very large, being but lit
tie changed by troubles about wages
at the South, though by more volun-
tary curtailment to New England. but
the demand for goods is better, and
has lifted the price of print cloths NC,
and some OF the other goods a shade.
Woolen goods have been in much
better demand and many of the
smaller mills have been buying after
concessions secured by the larger. The
much broader market is more healthy
and promises far more for the industry
and sales OF 1865 200 pounds in two
weeks past at the three chief markets.
against 10,S52,700 pounds in the same
weeks of 1892, are quite in line with the
demand in prosperous years. Prices
yielded about Nc In November. ac-
cording to 100 quotations by Coates
Bros, and from Philadelphia dis
patches appear to be about a cent
lower this week.
The rupture OF the inchoate rail COM
bination, 1t appears, resulted In lower
prices and larger sales in the first
week of sharp competition than were
realized a week ago. Prices were made
in some transactions much lower than
were then or are now quoted. and
while SIT at Pittsburg Is now named,
special orders are said to command
lower figures. The purchase of 10000
tons bessemer pig at $40 at a valley
furnace and 100000 billets for Pittsburg
at s11 so of which 10000 tons went to
hoop mill, with 1000 tons rods at Chi
cago at $22 and $4,000 tons plates for
one concern at Pittsburg. besides enor-
nous orders for bars and plates in car
and ship building, a steamship con-
tract on the Delaware and a contract
for 5000 tons for bridges at Chicago,
give some idea of the heavy business
coming forward. Just when the works
usually expect a season Of idleness and
waiting. Pig iron has risen at the East
to Sll 80 and quotations average for
pig throughout the country shade
higher than at any time this year;
though prices for finished products
have recently been declining