The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-08-26
THE BUSINESS BOOM
Review Of Trade by the Commercial
Agencies.
UPWARD TENDENCY IN PRICES.

The. Enormous Demand For More
II Is, Cars, Vessels, Warehouses and
Buildings Cannot BE Met as Quickly
as Men Would Like.
New York, Aug. 26.-Bradstreet's re-
view of trade says: Strength in prices
and steadiness of demand are still the
salient features of the trade situation.
Iron. steel and other metals, most of
the cereals, leather and cotton goods
manifest upward tendencies as to
prices. Other staples, with the excep-
ton of sugar and anthracite coal, re-
tain all their old firmness. Fall de-
mand is expanding at most markets,
particularly good reports being receiv-
ed from the northwest and that por-
tion of the corn growing country
which this year seems likely to be no.
table for surplus production.
Foremost in advancing is structural
material, which has moved up S. per
ton, closely followed by steel billets
with an advance of So, and steel rails
and nearly all grades Of pig iron, with
smaller relative gains. Among the
cereals wheat has been quite firm all
the week. The relative scarcity of cash
corn is responsible for the advance
shown this week in the face of con-
cededly large production.
Conditions of supply and demand
seem to be at the bottom of the recent
rise in beef prices. This advance has
attracted increased receipts of grass
fed cattle and some shading of quota
tions is noted, but Chicago prices have
only been equalled five times in %
years. There are nearly 100000 less
beef cattle in the country than there
were seven years ago, and in fact there
are fewer cattle in the country now
than in any year since 1882.
Business failures in the United
States for the week number ITS, as
against 172 last and in this week a
year ago. 21O in 1897, 800 in 1896 and
1889 in 1895. Business failures in the
Dominion of Canada for the week
number 2S, as compared with 20 last
week, q in this week year ago, 80 in
1897, 81 in 1896 and AZ in 1895.
R. G. Dun & Co.'S weekly review of
trade says; Nothing is more eloquent
than the facts. Actual payment
through the principal clearing houses
for the week were 23.1 per cent larger
than last year and $50 per cent larger
than in the same week in 1892. For
the month thus far the daily average
of payments has been 26.3 per cent
larger than last year and Sc per cent
larger than in 1892. Tonnage from
Chicago in three weeks has been SO.7
per cent larger than last year and 74.6
per ce t larger than in 1892.
Perhaps never before have demands
for actual use controlled business and
prices with so little speculation to
anticipate higher markets. In fact the
rise in most articles has gone farther
than speculative opinions have war
ranted. Practically all industries are
some months behind the requirements
for actual use. and in many much of
the output next year is already sold.
Iron works which supply Pittsburg are
sold up far into 1900, and can do moth
ing, though prices much beyond what
they received are paid by those who
must have iron rails and cars, more
vessels, warehouses and buildings to
handle the extraordinary business in
progress cannot be met as quickly as
men would like. and work Of all sorts
is delayed from the biggest war YES
sci to the smallest factory.