The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-05
REMARKABLE SHOWING.
Volume OF Business Indicated by Dun
n Compnny's Weekly Report Larger
Than in 1892.

~ COmpnny's weekly Report Larger
Than in 1892.
New York, Feb. Ar. @. Dun e. Co.'s
Weekly Review of Trade will say to-
morrow:
Actual payments through clearing
houses in January made a remarkable
showing, being much larger than in
any previous month, 1868 per cent.
larger than the same month last year,
and 76 larger than in 1892. The fall
ures in January were smaller than in
any previous year of which there Is
record, and were probably smaller than
in any other January since 1881. The
statement by branches of business
given this week shows a surprising
gain in most departments of manu-
facturers' trade. Meanwhile the money
market is as confident as ever; gold
does not come from Europe in large
amounts only because bankers find 1t
worth while to lend American money
abroad, and the commercial balances
are heavily in favor Of the United
States as heretofore.
Perhaps the most striking feature of
the week has been the decline in wheat.
With exports of 3,O94,517 bushels, against
y
Atlantic ports, and 776S4O from Pacific
ports, against S44, 343 bushels last year,
the temper of the market has been
weaker. The report of the agricultural
department has had some influence, al
though it's figures are not generally
credited as reliable. The wheat mar
ket has turned largely upon the opera
tions of Chicago spectators, but the
fact remains that the price depends
largely upon foreign needs and upon
the comparative scarcity of American
supply. The outgo of corn continues
heavy, 3,79S,7S6 bushels, against 3,343,-
400 for the same week last year, and
the excess over last year, when ex-
ports were much the greatest ever
known, indicates a very heavy foreign
demand. The spot price of cotton re-
mains unchanged, but the fact that re-
ceipts continue larger than during the
same week Of 1885, after the heaviest
crop ever Known, checks speculative
operations for an advance.
The iron and steel manufacture is
steadily gaining in consumption of pig
iron, although the production of the
material is still in excess of immedi-
ate demands, but not enough to cause
a decline in prices at Pittsburg or
Chicago. Even the southern producers
are able to get fair price at Chicago
and at the east, and anthracite pig is
unchanged. The demand for finished
goods has been very heavy, and in
cludes for structural work 5000 tons
for the state capitol building in Penn
sylvania, 1000 tons for the court house
at Denver 1900 tons for the elevated
railways at Chicago, and numerous
small buildings in various parts of the
country. The demand for car building
has been very heavy, both at the east
and the west and the plate demand
greatly increased at the east on ac-
count of orders from ship yards. For
plates the demand from tin plate works
has been very active. The prospect of
a combination of wire manufacturers
has stimulated the demand and raised
the price of wire rods. OF Connells-
vile coke, 1909 ovens are in blast,
with an output of $4,000 tons weekly,
and the quoted price is s1.50 for fur
mace.
Tin is quiet and steady at 1886 cents,
with a visible supply Feb 1 of 81, ,129
tons, against 32,332 a year ago. Ex-
ports of copper in January were about
1925 tons, against 9,066 last year, and
the price is held al II cents for lake.
There is a better demand for cotton
goods, since the general stoppage of
work at the east, but there is no indi-
cation as yet of material gain as re-
spects unsold stocks on hand. In
Woolen goods the demand is altogether
more satisfactory, an advance of about
20 per cent. being on most grades of
woolens and worsteds and nearly all
the mills are active. The sales of wool
at the three chief markets were $780,
400 pounds, of which 3.973,0OO We're do
mestic, against 13,563,7OO last year, of
which S,493, 400 were domestic
Failures for the week were 1886 in the
United States against 81 last year and
80 in Canada against 63 last year.