The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 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 comblna-
tons which tend to reduce It. All mo-
nopolies or attempted monopollcs, slim
ulate business while they are coming.
but tend to stlne 1t after they come, and
the tlTong OF combinations and trusts
which have been formed or proposed,
have given temporary but very qucs-
tionable impetus to trade. But beyond
the influence of these there is O. genu-
inc and substantial enlargement of
business due to the uneXampled pros
perity OF n growing population.
The weeks output OF pig iron Feb
ruary-, was 237,639 tons, against 943.5l6
January /, and 235,52S December !. The
average weekly production thus iudica-
ted was about 1000 tons greater in jan
uary than In December, and the unsold
stocks were reduced 43.611 tons in jan
uary. against 37,449 in December, so that
the apparent consumption In manufac-
;ure was in January l. 1l0.o79 tons,
against 1,O9S176 in December. The
stoppagc of several furnaces Tor neces-
sary repairs at Il time when the demand
Is most pressing has caused some fear
of famine, although quite 4 number OF
other furnaces have started since Feb
ruary !, or are about to start.
Advance Of Pig Iron.
Pig iron has advanced, but the lar
gest consumption ever recorded in any
month is in part due to the hasty pur-
chase of products about to be controlled
or advanced in price by combination.
There are so many of these in the iron
and steel industry that the present mar
kct does not clearly indicate the magnl-
tude of demand, and disappointment in
some branches is not improbable. But
the rise of 81 in steel rails. with the en-
tire capacity of all works engaged until
after July !. is not unnatural nor the
strength in plates. for which the legiti-
mate demand is beyond all precedent
and the same IS true OF bars. the guam
uty required for cars, railway and aS-
ricultural implement works being enor-
nous. In pipe the association lifted
prices . per cent with n very heavy or
der from Indiana Sns works, as does the
expected combination in sheets.
No fictitious demand has caused the
rise in grain. for the exports continue so
heavy in wheat and corn that the ad-
varcesof SIC in wheat Is abundantly
justified and the rise OF y in corn sees
scarcely enough FOR the occasion, Allan
tic exports have been retarded by the
blizzard, bu; have bean o,965,7l5 bushels.
-four included. against 3,142.0 last
year, and for the crop year thus far the
nS, .e J;,,,y l,,
1S1I4o bushels, against 143,7l4,142 last
year.
Astonishing Foreign Demand.
When 1t is remembered that the cx-
ports Of corn are almost as large ast the
largest ever known. thercis reason for
astonshment at the continued foreign
demand. That it persists in spite OF
the strong advance in prices here since
September !. is most encouraging. 1t is
obviously impossible to judge how far L.
may so.
! The heavy demand for goods helps TO
advance prices just now. although no
assurance can be given that the declin-
ing prices will not presently check that
demand
There is much more inquiry FOR wool
and the manufacturers fave a larger
demand for heavy weight goods, but
they maintain that they cannot pay
prices now demanded for wool. and most
Of the purchases made appear to have
been At some concessions. Sales Mt the
three chief markets were 6.160.e00 t
pounds, which is about the weekly con-
sumption with eastern mills well en-
ployed. but they We're partly on spccu-
lat!ve account and in fine and fine me-
dium territory sales arc mentioned at
40c cleaned and in Ohio M at c6c and
upwards.
The minor metals have been running
weaker with reaction In London. al
though the industries have shown no
abatement OF demand in this country.
and the rise in prices here is largely
Cue to increased consumption.
Failures for the week have been lis in
the United States against 295 last year,
and is in Canada, against 35 last year.