The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-28

New York. November 24-Bradstree;'s
tomorrow will say:
A striking illustration of the under
lying strength OF the general business
situation is furnished this week by h
course of prices. Almoss without ex-
ception, values OF staples remain firm
al previous quotations or manifest a
still further pronounced tendency up
ward. This. too, a occurred in face
OF rather smaller distribution in h or
binary trade channels h has been
noted in recent weeks So far as au-
tumn Grade is concerned, the complaint
OF unseasonably mild weathe restrict
ing retail distribution is repeated from
many cities, but, rising superior to this.
and to the questionably small = distri-
button at first hands is the accentu-
ated strength OF textiles. particularly
cotton goods, which reflect some added
strength OF the raw product due -
smaller receipts and bee;er foreign ad-
vices, but in a larger measure also por-
tray the influence OF active demand
coming on & market exceptionally bare
OF stocks. a further advance in print
cloths, a feature this week. has brought
the quotation for standard grades up
20 3 cents. n point not touched for fou
years past.
Raw wool is higher on the week q;
all markets on active demand, shared
in by the manufactured material, Tor
which a good fall demand has been ex-
perienced and in which further price
advances are expected. The American
market for wool is still claimed 10 be
the cheapest in the world. Tbs dull
ness in heavy winter goods produced
by the present warm weather has lot
as yet served to impair confidence in
wholesale lines.
Cereals remain. on the whole, duh
and uninteresting, and price fiuctua-
tons are within an exceptionally mar
row range, with quotations ruling
about what they were n yea ago.
Coffee has advanced, partly on the
fear of interruption of shipments by
quarantine restrictions and also be-
cause of reduced receipts at Brazilian
| ports, coupled with stronger European
advices.
Iron and steel are ~seasonably quiet
after a year of unexampled activity.
but the price changes recorded serve
to impart an appearance rather OF ir-
regularity than of weakness, some
makes of steel, particularly plates and
sheets, being lower, while Bessemer
pig iron is higher on the week, Au-
thorities in the trade consider pros
poets Of maintenance of present condi-
lions Of price and demand during 1900
as quite favorable. A feature of the
market is the presence of what might
be termed supporting orders, which
will be forthcoming at small recessions.
Despite prophecies of checked export
trade, a large order for rails is report
ed placed this week.
o production is on an unexampled
scale and arrangements for mex years
supplies are reported completed, but
the iron ore situation is yet to be set
tied, though a doubling of last sea-
sons early a~greed-on price is not I'M
likely. Notwithstanding a total esti-
mated production of As, 900, 600 tons of
anthracite coal this year, an increase
Of II per cent. on last ear demand
has been so good that stocks are at a
minimum.
A good volume Of business is doing
in hardware, more particularly at
western points and the spring outlook
is confidently regarded.
Wheat, including flour, shipments for
the week aggregate 3%,6SS,677 bushels,
against $780, 07 bushels last week.,
1924, 726 bushels in the corresponding
week of 1898, 6, 465, 153 bushels in 1897,
3,753, 69S bushels in 1896 and 2,46O. 3O6
bushels in 1895. Since July LIST, this
season, the exports of wheat aggregate
50, 46S, SAC bushels, against 50, 124, 0S3 last
veal and 101, 43S, 679 bushels in 1898.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
4, LAC, 523 bushels, against 4,603, 7iS bush
els last week, 1898, SAG bushels in this
week a year ago, 2,S67,075 bushels in
1897, 1920, S02 bushels in 1896 and $780,
S93 bushels in 1895. Since July LIST this
season, corn exports aggregate 92. 226. ass
bushels against co. 22, 1872 bushels dur
ing the same period a year ago, and
SO. $40, 145 in 1898.
Business failures in the United States
tend to increase slightly, as usual, at
this period, and number POP for the
week, as compared with 1879 last week.
1S2 in this week a year ago, 233 in 1897,
269 in 1896 and 2SS in 1895.