The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-14
THE CONDITION OF TRADE
Good Reports From the Distrib-
utive Centers.
RETURNS ENCOURAGING
Crop Reports Show Smaller Yields-Ad-
vancs in the Prics OF Cotton.
The Foreign Demand
Is Liberal.

New York, Oct. 1S.-Bradstreet to-mor-
row will say: Trade activity Is wide
spread. all measures of volume and value
testifying to prevailing prosperous conai-
tons. Only good reports are received
from distributive trade centers and some
markets report fall demand as holding
out longer than expected Railway earn
ings, bank clearings, returns and quota
tons of staple prices are all encouraging.
pointing as they do to a maximum vol
ume OF business for this period of the
year. Crop returns for October bear out
earlier Impressions of shortened yields of
most leading agricultural products Elk
pectation of more moderate yields of the
leading cereals Is not confined to this
country; the worlds wheat crop will adj
mittedly be smaller and rye, barley and
oats yields are not expected to be SO
large as a year ago. The higher range
of prices of all staples, and particularly
of agricultural products, however will
furnish profitable balance to producers.
The advance in the price OF cotton has
been a notable feature. The effects upon
general southern trade and industry fol-
lowing the advance are particularly bene-
ficial as this section alone has appeared
to lag somewhat behind the procession
of prosperity. In the leading branches
the strength is well nigh universal. Ad
vances have been luminous and scar
city of goods rather than of demand is
the main subject Of complaint. While
source of depression to cotton, the Trans
vaal situation has proved rather favor
able to wheat and other cereals, Offset
ting heavy increases in visible supply.
The liberality of foreign demand is per-
haps best shown in the September report
of exports of leading products. Ship
ment of breadstuffs were as large as
those Of August and there was naturally
a heavy gain in cotton exports which are
double those Of the same month a year
ago.
General manufacturing industry is run
ming full and activity Is so widespread
that it is hard to prefer one industry to
another in this respect. Coal production
is particularly heavy. but scarcity of
cars is complained of in this and the coke
industry, with strength of lake freights
constituting a disturbing element as re-
CARDS the supply of anthracite in the
west. Iron and steel are active as to pro-
duction, but new business IS limited by
the small quantities suitable for nearby
delivery. Liberal orders are still reported
for the first half of next year and steel
rails are reported tending upward at the
west.
Paper is in specially active demand at
present, owing to low water, being report
ed practically out of the market.
Sugar refining furnishes one exception
to the reports of general prosperity and
production is decreasing partly, of course.
owing to the season, but also to the de-
moralization growing out Of price cut
ting.
Wool is very firm though quieter at
some markets, while the manufactured
product Is selling well on next spring
| account.
Tobacco is reported very generally ac-
| tive at nearly all markets west and east.
| Shoe manufacturers are busy and leather
| and hides are sympathetically strong in
| price
| Lumber is in urgent demand at many
| markets in spite of the advanced stage of
| the season, and prices are firm.
Wheat, including flour, shipments for
the week aggregate 5,265,235 bushels.
against 5.1S3,a9S bushels last week, APIS, s96
! bushels in the corresponding week of 1898,
| 1854. 100 bushels in 1897, 4156.S17 bushels in
| 1896 and 2.4O9, 446 bushels in 1895.
Since July l. this season, the exports
| of wheat aggregated 6o.965,o47 bushels,
! against 57,22S, 116 bushels last year and &C,
| 1914 bushels in 1S97-9S
Business failures in the United States
number 1854 as compared with 1i6 las,
| week, 233 in this week year ago, 1856 In
1897 go in 1896 and 29S in 1895. Business
| failures in Canada number 10 as com.
pared with "a last week, % in this week 8
year ago, A in 1897, 30 in 1896 and 81 ir
| 1895