Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-09
WEEKLY REVIEW OF TRADE
Payments Through Clearing Houses Increase
Twenty-Four Thousand Millions.
GREAT EXPANSION IN PRODUCTION
Receipts at Four Chief Western Cattle
Markets Three Per Cent Larger
Than in 1898, But Hide
Prices Higher.

NEW YORK Dec. S.-R. G. Dun g. Co.'s
Weekly Review of Trade, which issues to-
morrow, will say:
The approach of a new year usually
brings so much of hesitation in business
that the small shrinkage this year Is sur
prislng. Probably never before have the
productive forces of the country been so
largely covered by contracts at this date
coming year. This results, not from any
mere speculative excitement but from ac-
tual demands for consumption running far
beyond the producing capacity heretofore
and pushing 1t to remarkable expansion.
The increase in foreign trade has been in
significant compared with the increase OF
s24 900, ,OOO, 900 in payments through clearing
houses. For the week the payments have
been 20.3 per cent larger, than last year
and 3S.1 per cent larger than in 1892.
Prices. of pig iron are strongly main
tained, though extraordinary efforts prom
se an increase of over quarter in produc-
ing capacity within a year, because the en-
tire output of most furnaces for the FIRST
and in part for the last, half of next year
has been sold already. Sheet bars are a
shade lower owing to the closing of many
tinplate works. The demand for cars and
other railroad equipment is enormous, ana i
also for shipping, both lake and ocean. TN
is weak at 271ac and copper declined TO l644c
but lead and spelter are stronger
Hides are again. stronger at chicago, a. az
western markets in eleven months nave
been per cent larger than in the previous
year, as the demand for consumption in
manufacture has evidently increased much
more, Thus western production or boots
and shoes has gained more than eastern,
yet shipments from Boston for the year
have been BIZ, 900 cases or 9.3 per cent more
than last year and $4,000 cases, or 2I.S per
cent more than in 1892, when cattle receipts
were rs per cent larger than this year
Wool has advanced further, with much
speculative buying, though most manufac-
turers have supplied wants for the present
and are less disposed to purchase at prices
now averaging higher than at any time
since June 10, 1891. ,
Higher prices demanded in the interior
and rising prices abroad give confidence in
spite OF the face that goods have ADVANCED
from the lowest point this year only w
per cent Cotton Is weakened by accounts
of large quantities held back and has de-
clined sc, but reports are suthelent TO make
speculation active, Notwithstanding the de-
crease of 0.0OO bales, or 2i.f per cent In eN-
ports for three months for the crop year
Taking of spinners has been large, the de-
mand for cotton goods is heavy ana covers
production far ahead In many lines, Whlle
fears of important strikes have been dls-
PEELED by a general advance OF wages:
Wheat has risen cents and corn a frac-
ton, with decline I'm western receipts OF
both Atlantic exports OF wheat for the
week, -four included. were only 3,35e,bN
bushels against 5,G36,76I last year, and IA
cihc exports sSu,-.- bushels, against 5oooZ5
Failures for the week have been 22l in the
United states, against 2iS last year ana
thlrty-three in Canada, against twenty-five
last year.