The San Francisco call., 1898-02-12

est in the history of the business, but the ported buying of 13o 0o0 tons of Bessemer iron by the Carnegie Company and 100 GOO by an- other of the largest steel concerns, neverthe- less, means decision by the ablest manufac- turers that the unprecedented output of pig will soon prove too small for the growing de- nands for finished products The Illinois Steel company has contracted for 1, GOO GOO tons Bes sener ore and producers of other ranges count upon an advance in prices Bessemer pig rose to s10 15 and gray forge to s9 at Pitts burg with finished products generally stronger and in large demand at this season.
 Raii contracts already cover. 1t is said. more than last years production, the railways buy Ing earlier than usual. Bar contracts for cars. wagons. agricultural implements and other manufactures are heavy at the West. struc- turai contracts there are very numerous and at the East large. with 50,000 tons estimated for New York buildings alone this year. while plate and sheet contracts for the season unprecedented. January of the big gest months in Connelsville coke output, 623,-' 975 tons and furnace continued at the sam. price. Tin rose to 14 cents, Tn spite of heavy shipments, and copper to Il cents or better fo, lake in spite of enormous American production. The rise In cotton, 5-16 of cent for the week, results in part from better prospects for man ufacture here and abroad, but only In part sequence, but prices of goods have a stronger tone. With the better tone prevailing. this manufacture should feel the heavy de- mand which other industries meeting.
 Wool sales at the chief cities were only B., 200 pounds for the week, and 11.664 COG for two weeks, against 9. 72l.6 500 last year: Prices are still strong in spite of the general indifference of manufacturers, who seem to have secured ample supplies.
 For the better grades of woolen goods. an advance averaging II 50 per cent advance from last year Is readily maintained. The opening of works idle for year In spite of the heavy production already assured Is a striking fea- ture in this, as in the iron and other indus tries. and implies heavier demands for pro- ducts than are now met by the unprecedented output
 Wheat has been strong. with spot advancing cents and May 24 cents. though Western receipts have been for two weeks 5,536 IFS bushels, against 3. .s75 last year, but Allan tic exports have been 5,274,43S bushels, flour included. against 4,026, ,596 in two weeks last year, with Pacific exports large
 Corn exports are also surprisingly we'll sus- tained. 7164 762. against 1893 S65 last year. and the price has advanced a trf1e. It Is yet too early for prospects of coming crop to infiu ence markets materially and heavy operations at Chicago with reported sales of 1000, 900 bush els for export on Thursday have deterred spec uative selling
 Business shown by bank clearings Is again larger than ever before, 54.7 larger than last year for the week and for the month to date AS per cent larger than last year, and 16.o per cent larger than In 1892 Failures for the week have been 295 In the United States against 267 last year, and 43 in Canada, against 61 last year.