Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-03-18
PROVES A MAINSTAY.
Advance in Wages n Leading Factor
in Keeping Up the Boom
in Trade.

New York, March 11.-R. G. Dun & Co. IS
weekly review of trade says: by far the
best assurance of good business in the flu
ture Is found in the general rise of wages.
The general advance in earnings of cotton
mill operatives, in most cases ten per cent,
Of iron and steel workers generally ten per
cent, and tin plate and sheet workers from
five to ten per cent. and of coal miners, in
some large districts, about as much has
set pace which most establishments will
follow which have reduced wages in the
past years of depression. Those who fail
to comprehend what such a change may
mean have only to consider that tenth
Increase in the wages of all labor would
put into the markets new buying demand,
In amount about three-quarters of the en-
tire value of exports to all countries
THE volume of business shows no signs
OF decrease and for the first full week of
March has been about 5l.7 per cent. greater
than in the same week of last year and 609
per cent greater than in 1892.
Most people would not expect the pro-
duction of pig iron to be affected by the
weather Yet in the Pittsburgh district
alone the furnaces running are said to have
produced 1900 tons per week less than their
January output, so that the decrease in
weekly production of all furnaces, 22S,19l
tons March 1, against 237, 639 February /,
does not mean anything more than bad
weather. The shrnkage of the supplies of
iron in February, just when increased sup
pies were tApGCleu anu HeeueQ ana con-
tributed much to the extraordinary ad-
vance in priceS, S2.75 in anthracite No.
February l. $3.50 in bessemer pig at Pitts
burgh and s2.75 in gray forge.
Exports of wheat do not yet fall below
last years, as many have for some months
expected, and the Atlantic exports, flour
| included, have been for the week 3,3O9, ,09:
bushels, against 2S9O,S79 last year, and Pa
cific exports 6031S7 bushels, against / 2S0, SIS
last year, with other exports of 407, 569 bush
| els. Western receipts were 4,071 OH bushels
against 2,75291S for the same week last
year, and the output from the country goes
| far to check apprehension to deficiency
of the crop. The price is about two cents
| lower for spot, and corn is about one cent
| lower. with western receipts 1860, 404 bush
els, against 5,4S7,2OS last year, while exports
| have been for the same week 3,537S SS7 bush
| els, against 2,957, ,S51 last year
Failures for the weak have been 1872 in
| the United States, against 24S last year, and
81 in Canada, against 36 last year"
Bradstreet's says: Industrial and trade
activity is still preeminent feature of the
| general business situation. Price strength
too. is notable, especially in view of the
midwinter rise of February, except in the
| case of the leading cereals and wool. II
manufacturing lines the situation is one o.
| great activity. Additional advances IL
wages announced this week seem likel!
| to swell the number of workers whose
wages are reported advanced to close tC
| 175,000. The iron and steel trade is still ex
cited by reports of feverish demand, in
adequate supplies and further advanced
| quotations. Lumber is active at most mar
kets and prices are firm, because of wei
| cleaned up stocks. Raw and refined sugai
have alike moved upward this week, part
| ly because of unfavorable Cuban crop ad
| vices and also in sympathy with the i'm
| provement going on in European beet mar
kets. Refined has been marked up, not
| In nd in fra6 Ia
| Wheat is weaker, Notwithstanding croI
| damage reports, and other cereals are IL
sympathy Herewith, chiefly because of tn
growth of bearish views of supplies hell
| by farmers and tendency to discount tn
generally expected heavy government esti
mates of wheat in farmers hands Report
| from leading markets east and west are o
an active spring jobbing demand, particu
| larly for dry goods, but shared in by cloth
| ing, shoes and other staples.