New-York tribune., 1899-06-10
PRICES STILL BELOW THOSE OF 1892.

AS some sensational changes are occurring In
prices since June /. II is the more important to
note that prices of all commodities again ad-
vanced little In May, and though less than half
of per cent in all, the rise was seventenths Of
l per cent In metals, IA per cent in clothing and
about 81 per cent IN dairy and garden products.
owing to higher prices for butter, eggs and hay.
In this class the date of highest prices in the
first half of the year is very irregular, though 1t
has not often happened. as 1t has this year and
last that at some time in April prices Of such
articles were on the whole higher than in either
Of the previous months. Breadsuffs and meats
were both lower at the end than at the begin
ming Of May. and miscellaneous articles Of food
were practically the same in price. The small
ness Of the change in the mineral class is due TO
the fact that the decline in selling prices for coal
at New-York nearly balanced considerable ad-
vances in iron and it's products for plg-iron ad
vanced In quotations over s per cent and its
products nearly per cent during the month
But since June prices of pig have further adj
vanced as per cent, and prices of iron products
S.S per cent. Refined oil also rose in May, tin
plates and lead, with tin unchanged and copper
slightly lower
Everything in the clothing class advanced In
May except raw rubber which declined cent
Hides rose about per cent, leather B per cent
and boots and shoes 2.3 per cent. Raw silk rose
early in the month nearly 4 per cent. Wool
after many months of weakness, made n slight
advance toward the end Of the month, about g
per cent. Woolen goods have since risen about
as much Cotton advanced from 6.l9 cents 10
go cents. Cotton goods rose nearly per cent
and since June have risen 1.S per cent In the
miscellaneous class there were two advances in
window glass made by the association, amount
Ing to Is per cent on low sizes; hardwood lum-
ber rose about per cent, linseed oil per cent
and fertilizers 10 per cent, while soft lumber,
brick, lime. soap. paper and paints were un-
changed, and turpentine. hemp and drugs slight
ly declined, the resulting advance being only
per cent FOR the whole class
While the changes In May were not generally
surprising, they attract attention the more be-
cause they follow advances sustained for seven
months In iron and steel products. amounting
TO 30 per cent. and for six months In clothing,
though averaging only 6 per cent for that class.
IL Will therefore be Of some interest TO note
now far back we have to look for higher prices
In these classes. The aggregate in the mineral
class Is now higher than II has been since Janu.
ary, lS'3. Even the crazy rush during the
summer Of 1895 did not put prices in that class
so high as they were June l. pig iron being far
behind, while Of finished products commonly
quoted only steel rails and nails were then
higher. With the rise since June l. iron prod.
ucts are higher than at any time since January.
1892 and pig higher than since July, 1890 In
clothing prices were higher In November 1895,
than they were June l, and in miscellaneous
products they were higher in December, 1896.
and generally prior TO that date. In bread.
stuffs, meats and dairy products prices were
higher in May Of last year, and excepting that
phenomenal rise. were also higher for bread