The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-11

New York. March lO.-R. q. Dun &
Co.'S weekly review of trade will say
tomorrow:
By far the best assurance of good
business in the future is found in the
general rise Of wages. The general
advance in earnings of cotton mill
operatives, in most cases 10 per cent,
Of iron and steel workers generally 10
per cent and tin plate and sheet work
crS from to 10 per cent, and Of coal
miners. in some large districts, about
as much, has set a pace which most
establishments will follow which have
reduced wages in past years of depres-
sion. Those who fail to comprehend
what such a change may mean have
only to consider that a tenth increase
in the wages Of all labor would put
into the markets n new buying demand
i'm amount about three quarters of the
entire value of exports to all coun-
tries. The volume of business shows
no signs OF decrease, and for the first
fun week of March has been about
517 per cent. greater than in the same
week Of last year and coo per cent.
greater than in 1892
Most people would not expect the
production of pig iron to be affected by
the weather. Yet in the Pttsburg dis
trict alone the furnaces running are
said to have produced 1900 tons per
week less than their January output,
so that the decrease in weekly produce
tion of all furnaces, 22S,191 tons March
l. against 237,63 Feb. 1, does not mean
anything more than bad weather. The
shrinkage of supplies of iron in Feb
ruary, just when increased supplies
were expected and needed, has contri-
buted much to the extraordinary ad-
vance in prices, 1915 in anthracite No.
|, Feb. i $3.50 in Bessemer pig at Pitts
burg, and s2.75 in grey forge. The un-
sold stocks were also reduced in Feb
ruary 46,491 tons, so that the appar-
ent consumption was 977,979 tons in
the short month. Nearly all the work
done, of course, is at the comparatively
low prices made in the great contracts
three to four months ago, but the few
works which are still able to contract
for early delivery are charging about
what they please, and these quota
tions appear in the published state
ments in many cases 81 to s. per ton
premium is paid for delivery within
sixty days. Plates are in especial de-
mand and higher, but in rails, bars and
structural forms the demand and
prices are not yet much changed.
Tin Is All Right.
Tin is firm at 21.5S cents, with con-
sumption of $500 tons monthly, and
copper is scarce for spot at 1915 cents
with lead weaker at 4.30 The trust
refuses quotations for tin plates. The
demand for coke exceeds the transport
ing capacity for the Connellsville re-
gion, but the output has been 1886
tons for the week, furnace being
quoted at $1.6O and foundry at 81 pei
ton.
Exports of wheat do not yet fall be-
low last years, as many have Tor some
months eXDected, and the Atlantic ex-
ports, flour included, have been for the
week 3,3099 902 bushels against $3.50, 81!
last year, and Pacific exports 603,1 ,1S1
bushels against 12S0,6lS last year, with
other exports of 1853 bushels. West
ern receipts were 4,O71,O17 bushels
against 3,702, 91S for the same week las
year. and the output for the country
goes far to check apprehension as de-
fiCiency of the crop.
Failures for the week have been 1SI
in the United States against 24S last
year and 81 in Canada against SO last
year.