The record-union., 1898-10-22
Business in Excess Of Most Pros
porous Years,
Despite the Influence Of the Political Un'
certainty Abroad.
P-ophets of Disasters Staggered by
the Enormous Outgo OF Wheat
"A Marked Improvement In the
Wooden Goods Market the Fast
Week.

NEW YORK, Oct PR. G. Dun &
Co.'S Weekly Review of Trade" Will
say tomorrow:
With growing foreign demand for
American products, exchange is IN
fiuenced mainly by political uncertain
ties abroad, While Europe awaits the
outcome between England and France
about the Upper Nile, the financlers or
all European countries are trying to
force upon each other the burden or
providing cash for the enormous de-
mands of the United States. England
has so managed as to make France and
Germany send most of the gold, and
the resulting war of exchange between
foreign nations checks for the moment
the movement of gold this way. Yet
these and all other causes do not so
far hinder business as to prevent an
excess over the most prosperous of
previous years.
The outgo of wheat staggers all
prophets of disasters, but while the
price has advanced cents at the
West, the rise would have been much
greater but for the feeling that the
enormous foreign demand may not
last Exports, flour included, have
els at Atlantic ports, against 1876, ,601
last year, and 923,27S bushels from Pa
cific ports, against / 1,295, ,914 last year,
making for the three weeks IL 1884 ,53S
bushels against 14,227 800 last year.
The receipts at the chief Western
points have been in three weeks 3d.
592, 494 bushels, against 3,12o,S Sol last
year The corn exports continue
loN 4 II h11c hole aCf ~
317 last year, and 1907, ,009 bushels for
three weeks, against 1914, ,164 last
year.
In wOOlen goods there has been a
marked improvement during the past
week, and better sales with extensive
inquiry. This is reflected in the large
transactions in the wool market, which
amounted for the past week to 4566,- =
500 pounds, of which 2,714, 400 were do
mestic, making for the Dast three
weeks 1886, 100 pounds, against, 81
162, ,190 for the same week last year.
30, 765,5 pounds for the same week
in 1896, and 19, 4S1 $50 pounds for the
same week in 1892 Sales in Boston
have been the largest for nearly two
months, but at some concessions in
price which are reported in published
quotations.
There is much hesitation in the iron
and steel trade, partly because the
outcome of various combinations in
Bessemer pig, steel rails, bars. wire
nails and the like cannot yet be def
nitely anticipated. Yet prices of do
mestic products have not declined, and
although the tone is somewhat weaker
for harder plates, quotations are in
\ ~ Io,.e
for exports. The plate mills have re-
ceived orders for twenty thousand tons
from the Government for ship purposes
and the bar and billet mills have
very encourag ging demand.
Failures for the week have been 221
in the United States, against 224 last
year, and twenty-four in Canada,
against thirty-six last year
NEW YORK, Oct 21-Bradstreets
tomorrow will say:
The dominant feature of the general
business situation is unquestionably
the active foreign demand for wheat,
wheat flour and indeed all our cereal
products, and the business reported on
this account during the past ten days
seems worthy of rank with the best
recorded in any corresponding period.
While Strengthened stocks abroad and
less satisfactory advices from other
countries, notably Russia, Australia
and Argentina, have furnished a paus-
ible basis for much of the recent ac-
tivity, inducing much short covering
by steadfast bears, lest the rather mod
crate figures of current export should
prove disappointing in view of the
heavy engagements reported, ii might
be remarked that much of this demand
is necessarily what can be termed for
ward business, and indeed stocks in