The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-23
BRADSTREE,S REPORT
Renewed Strength OF Cereals. Iron
Products and Nool-uore Furnaces
Going Into R~last-sraiu

New York. May 1e.-Bradstreets to-
morrow will say The feature ~ the
trade situation this week is the reneS-
ed strength OF wheat and other cereals.
iron and steel. and last, but not least.
raw wool which has heretofore Jagged
behind other staples in a discouraging
way. The price making features in
cereals are not entirely OF an encourag-
ing character. being chiefly the less ia
vorable reports as to the growing crop
west and northwest, and advlces Of
insect damage. influencing western
markets toward a higher plane in face
OF a dis~couragingly small export busi-
ness, caused in some degree by the
continuance Of the strike of grain hand
lers at Buffalo, checking the movement
OF large quantities OF grain to the sea-
board. The added strength in iron Is
based largely upon the heavy buying
of pig iron in the central west, sympa-
thetically influencing prices at all mar
kets.
Reports are of old and new furnaces
going into blast, but these advices and
the new plants projected to be built,
apparently, do not reaSsure
who are beginning TO place orders for
the first part of next year at present
prices.
Excitement in iron is not confined
entirely to this country, however, as
shown by a speculative advance at
leading British markets, but a sample
OF the i~rregularity caused by the inn
mense current worlds demand is fur
nished in the case of foreigners seek
ing supplies in this country, at the
same time that orders for rails have
been placed by American companies
with English makers.
Foreign o markets continue above
American, heavy sales of Australian
woods for re-eXport are reported AMI
valuable supplies of this class of wool
are nearly exhausted at Boston.
Aside from the exceptions noted, the
tendency is toward steadiness in prices,
and most provisions, coffee and sugar
among groceries; ead and copper
among metals, and cotton and its va
rious manufactures among textiles, are
all reported unchanged on the week.
Speculation in cotton lags, notwith-
standing good trade advices at home
and abroad and rather less favorable
crop reports.
Lumber, as for a long time past, con-
tinues in excellent demand: Building
activity is widespread, prices hold all
their old advances and the tendency
is apparently still upward.
Refined sugar is in rather better de-
mand, but raws are rather quiet at last
weeks decline.
Hides and leather are strong at old
quotations, a new feature reported this
week being a good demand for some
grades of upper leather on export &C
coun
Less favorable weather. has tended
to check distributive demand at retail,
but in wholesale lines trade is regard
ed as very fair and even satisfactory
for the advanced stage of the season.
Wheat, including flour, shipments for
the week aggregate, 2,212, zoo bushels,
against 3,2S4,1S5 bushels last week,
1864, 1872 bushels in the corresponding
week Of 1898, 2,655,S6 bushels in 1897,
1,0S6,0 05 bushels in 1896 and 2,754, 023
bushels in 1895. Since July 1st, this
season, the exports Of wheat aggre-
gate 205, 271 ,054 bushels, against 206, $751;
S65 bushels last year.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
2,753, Ala bushels, against 2,76S, 694 bush
els last week, 5,550,579 bushels in this
week a year ago, 3,190.OA2 bushels in
1897, 1, 656, 419 bushels :. 1896 and 1922
273 bushels in 1895. Since July 1st, this
season, corn exports aggregate 149 ,O32,-
221 bushels, against 169, 153, 343 bushels
during the same period a year ago.
Business failures for the week num-
Der 166, against 169 last week, 211 in this
week a year ago 245 in 1897, PIG in 1896
and 2O6 in 1895.