The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-07-01

NEW YORK, June 3O.-Bradstreets'
tomorrow will say:
Though seasonably quieter in lines,
the strength of the geneI al business sit
uation remains appar emily undated.
and the half year closes with the COM
mercial and financial community con-
templating very satisfactory returns III
the recent past and manifests tone
of cheerful confidence regarding the
outlook for the last half of 1899. In the
volume of business done the first half
of 1899 will certa. My rank higher than
the best hitherto experienced In sine
instances. notably in iron and steel, re-
cent advances have brought the level Ut
prices well above anything reported
since 1892, though it is to be remarked
that much of the business done in that
industry this spring was at old Levels,
the most sanguine Observers in this line
a*having failed to accurately gauge the
real proportions of the late advances.
That the transportation inter. SITS have
shared to a large degree in the buSi-
ness resulting from several years
of large receipts and active demand, is
proved by the current good Neturns, the
best probably reported SO far this year
and indicating a progressive gain over
all previous eco rds for the six months.
Notwithstanding the steadily lowering
RATES of transportation.
There is little in the immediate out
look that can be construed as unfayol-
able. The iron trade having finished
the most eventful half year in its h s.
tory and most of it's contracts secured
at the old low prices, faces very good
outlook for the balance of the year al
prices which guarantee large profits
pI DIVIDING adequate supplies of raw and
partly manufactured materials can be
secured. 1t s not unreasonable to look
for some check in fact to business in
the metal consuming industries, owing
TO the scarcity Of thee materials. One
Of the latest instances of this cited is
the serious delay reported to the ship
building industry owing the scarcity of
see plates.
The labor situation has been one Of
the most satisfactory features of the
half years business, voluntary advances
having raised the compens alton of
thousands of opel atiyes and labor trou-
b les being conspicuous by their abssnce
t Il toward the close of the psrod I'M
der review when failures to agree upon
wages ard hours in the Colorado smelt-
ing industry and in the tin-plate man.
ufaCturing render a. large number OF
workmen idle. In the case Of the lat
te- industry, however, the suspe nsioa.
DIT is hoped, will not exceed the usual
summer shutdown.
In agricultural lines the outlook,
though somewhat irregular, is in the
main favorable. The smaller yield Of
winter wheat seems at the present me-
ment likely to be part made up by
an increased yield of corn and 8 ring
wheat prospects, though impaired some
what by too much rail, a.e REGARDED
as encouf aging. Good weather through
out the country has allowed a rather
better out turn in. winter wheat III N
was locked for earlier, and general
rains throughout the South have hell
ed the cotton crop situation, while lice
and sugar have also done well.
The closing week Of the half year
finds special strength and activity in
iron, lumber and wool and wooden
goods. the latter undoubtedly having at
last apparently begun to share in the
prevailing prosperity A feature of in
1erest in this come tion is the advanc-
ed price of fine woo.s abroad. which
seems to insure. temporarily at least, a
foreign market for considerable high
grade domestic wool Manufactured IA
bIics share in this strength, but
with having large stocks Of raw
material. Confidence in good fall
trade is evidenced by reports
from many markets of good orders al
AA~s>s.s.Sssas,s,s,s. s,uosn~~.--v.,