The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-28
WEEKLY TRADE REVIEWS
Bradstrcel's and Dun Review the Condition
Of Trade in the Country.
MARKETS ACTIVE AND GENERALLY HIGHER
misc In Farm Products kttribntcd
partially to spcculntion--'ro"l MN
othcr Industries Arc Active.

New York January 21.-Bradstrcet's to-
morrow will say: The apparently STEADY
rise in the tide OF general business mas
been diversified this week by an outpurst
of speculative interest In number OIL
STABLES. notably cotton aud wheat, wnicn
heretofore have registered STEADY gains oh
actual consumptive demand rather than en-
tn. development of marked bullish speeu-
latIon. Large transactions and nuoyant
nriccs have been features in these staples,
and signs are not wanting that sympa-
| tbntic though small movements IN some
other lines are either under way or con-
templated.
Exceptional industrial activity, espe-
cillly in the iron and steel trades, IS an
ether feature of rote, and. too, price ad-
,anues arc all but general, rejecting, so
far AS can be seen. chiefly the urgency oil
consumers requirements, the claim, il
fact being maze that speculation mas not
ne vet entered into the buying in TINS
branch of industry. The same ciaim how
ever can hardly be made as regards
number of movements toward consoiiHa-
ton in this and other industries where, III
fact the movement towcrd combination
craze.
In the regular channels of distributiyo
trade. conditions continue, in the main,
satisfactory, the volume of shipping orders
al most Of the markets being reported as
larger than any recent year at this TINE
While it is hardly possible to NIX the
entire responsibility for the bullishness III
wheat and cotton upon the movement
which so far has proved so successful! III
stocks. the claim is freely made that con-
siderable profits realized in the stock mar
kct have sought expression in the chan-
nels of staple food and textile distribution.
Color is given to this claim by the fact
that the situation in actual wheat shows
but little change from recent weeks. IL
is true that the tendency to pare down
alleged official estimates Of Russian crops
and some weather reports from the West
have been more encouraging to the holder
of actual wheat. but the magnitude of the,
outburst OF new buying, shared In by
former persistent shorts in wheat alone,
hardly explain the activity in this market,
which has resulted In the highest prices
reached since the collapse of the Letter
deal.
Activity in demand for nearly all class
es of iron and steel is reflected in advances
for nearly every class of pig iron and in
steel bilets, rails, wire and plates. An
nouncements of large number of con-
solicitations and combines. projected or I'M
der way, are also a feature. In the do
main of other metals notably copper and
tin, speculation and actual demand make
for higher prices.
Better reports are received from the
lumber trade in Il number of cities and all
the old advances are maintained in tho
confidence of good shipping business
Some improvement in the dry goods
trade is to be noted at Eastern points,
notably Philadelphia ard Boston, where
advances in cotton are maintained. Wool,
though FIRM is slow of sale, and finished
products, with the possible exception OF
dress woolens do not move as freely as
hoped for. feature this week. in fact. be-
ing the very low prices announced by some
manufacturers.
General industry is reported active no.
'aniy soft coal. mining and shipbuilding.
An encouraging feature in the former trade
has been the wage settlement made with
100000 Western coal miners for another
year.
Business failures 24s. against 2G2 last
week.