The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-18

New York, Feb. 17.-R. G.. Dun &
Co.'S weekly review OF trade will say
tomorrow:
Beyond question business is expand
ing, and in many branches it is larger
Notwithstanding speculative combina-
.inrs which tend TO reduce it. All
monopoiys, or attempted monopolies.
stimulate business while they are COM
ing. but tend to stilc 1t after they
come, and the throrg Of combinations
and trusts which have been formed or
proposed have given a temporary, hut
very questionable" impetus, 10 trade.
But beyond the influence Of these there
t. genuine and substantial enlarg'-
lncut of business, due to the uneX-
amplcd prosperity of a growing pOpG-
latiOn.
The weeks output Of pig iIou Feb.
! was 237, ,63S tons, against 2i3,5l6 Jan.
and 235,J2S Dec !. The average week
~ production thus indicated was about
00o tons greater ip January than in
December. ana the unsold stocks were
reduced 1851 tons in January, against
"7ii9 i'm December, so that the appar-
ent consumption in manufacture was
in January. 1110.O79 tons. against l,09S.
eral furnaces for necessary repairs at
a time when the demand is most press
ing has caused some fear of famine
although quite a number of other fur
aces have started since Feb. /, or are
about to start. Pig iron has advanced
hut the largest consumption ever re-
corded in any month is i'm part, due
to the hasty purchases of products
aIA IA. a -,
price by combination. There are SO
many of these in the iron and steel
industry that the present market does
not clearly indicate the magnitude Of
demand and disappointment i'm some
branches is not improbable. But the
rise of 81 in steel rails with the entire
capacity Of all works engaged until
after July 1 is not unnatural. nor the
strength i'm plates for which the egiti-
mate demand is beyond all precedent.
and the same is true of bars. the guam
tity required for cars, railway and
agricultural implement works being
enormous. In pipe the association lift
ed prices ) per cent. with very heavy
order from Indiana gas works, as does
the expected combination in sheets.
THE RISE IN GRAIN.
No fictitious demand has caused the
rise in grain, for the exports continue
50 heavy i'm wheat and corn that the
advance of 81 in wheat is abundant
ly justified and the rise of ac. in corn
seems scarcely enough for the occasion.
Atlantic exports have been retarded bv
the blizzard but have been 2,2G5. IL
bushels, -four included, against 3142.O57
last year, and for the crop year thus
far the exports including flour have
been 156,7S174e bushels against 143, IA
li2 last year. When it is remembered
that the exports of corn are almost
as large as the largest ever known
there is reason for astonshment at the
continued following demand. II per
sists in spite of the strong advance in
prices here since Sept. is most en-
couraging.
Nor does the foreign demand for cot
ton abate, though the price has again
been raised 3-16 during the past week.
The exports have decreased some but
the controlling fact is that a remark
able shrinkage in receipts from plan
iations appears to indicate a smaller
Yield than has hitherto been expected.
The heavy demand for goods helps TO
NV SicC pil''o just HON, altnOuRn no
assurance can be given that the de-
clining prices will not presently checl;
that demand.
There is much more inquiry for wool.
and the manufacturers have a larger
demand for heavy weight goods but
they maintain that they cannot nay
prices now demanded for wool. and
most of the purchases made appear 10
have been at some concessions. Sales
at the chief markets We're C.16O, ,2OO
pounds which is about the weekly
consumption with eastern mills well
employed but they were partly on spec
uiative account and in fire and fine
medium territory sales are mentioned
at 40 cents cleaned and in Ohio at 20
cents and upwards. The minor metals
have been running weaker with a re-
action in London, although the indus
tries have shown no abatement of de-
mand in this country and the rise in
prices here is largely due to increased
consumption.
Failures for the week have been 17S
in the United States against 295 last
year, and is in Canada against 80 last
year.