The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-23
BEEF CATTLE ARE SCARCE
THE SUGAR WAR PROCEEDS
= WITH NIGOR.
AND THE PRICES ARE DEM0RaLIZED
Most Manufacturing Lines Make Good Reports
Wool is Higher in London and S rong-
er Here. Lumber and Coal
Show I'D Well.
Show up Well.

New York, Sept. 2.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow vii say:
Satisfactory trade and price conditions
apparently still reign. SO few, in fact,
are the reports of poor trade that fa-
vorable reports may be said tC be al
most unanimous. An expanded yoIme
of fall trade is indicated by the aggre-
gate OF bank clearings for the week,
though reports from some markets
point to the greatest rush being over.
Prices as a rule maintain all their for
mer strength, decreases being few and
relatively unimportant. In several lines,
notably cereals, cotton, petroleum, iron
and steel, the tendency has been toward
higher levels. Cotton has been notably
strong and active. Short crop estimates
are becoming more generally current
and bearish estimates of maximum
yields have been practically discarded,
more especially as it is claimed that
agents of English spinners are heavy
buyers at the South, and domestic man
ufacturing conditions are known to be
in a high degree favorable.
Steady demand for export and conf
dence in all of this years wheat crop
being needed have proved stimulating
in the face of heavy receipts and adj
mittedly large present. supplies. Posi-
bility of war in the Transvaal, too, have
been additionally strengthening fea-
lures. Iron and steel are higher on a
moderate volume of new business and
the steady placing of orders indicates
confidence in present values well on
into the middle of next year. Pig iron,
however, is nearer a parity with con
sumption, the ultimate effects of en-
HANGING quotations upon demand is not
yet settled and imports from abroad,
while not likely to be of heavy volume
Immediately, are a feature which may
have to be dealt with next year. The
scarcity of beef cattle is reflected in still
higher prices, and strength is shown
in domestic hides, which also feel the
impetus of steady demand from manu-
facturers of leather. No signs of abate-
nlent in the sugar war are to be seen,
price cutting is active and prices are
demoralized. Other groceries, however,
are firm,a as are most other lines, with the
exception of cheese and tin, which note
some easing in price from their recent
advance. Most lines of manufacturing
return strikingly good reports. notably
in this respect being cotton and wooden
goods. Complaints OF backward deliv-
cries of cotton goods are common, while
in wooden goods a number of mills report
their order books filed for spring de-
livery and have withdrawn from the
market. Wool is higher at London and
sympathetically stronger here, and ex-
pectations of a good export trade for
fine grades of domestic are entertained.
The coal trade reflects weather and
trade conditions in still further improved
demand, and predictions are of further
advances later in the season. Demand
for lumber, though interfering with by
strikes at number of markets, is re-
ported very strong, and scarcity OF
cars and of boats is reported quite gen
orally in the west. This scarcity of
transportation, however, is NOT limited
to the lumber trade, similar reports COM
ing from the coal and iron industries.
Wheat, including -four, shipments for
the week aggregate 1880. 765 bushels,
against 4,536.552 bushels last week, s.
224,927 bushels in the corresponding
week of 1898, .5,70S,S25 bushels in 1897;