The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-06
BaADsTREET's REVIEW

New YORK, May 5.-Bradstreets tomor-
row will say:
That this is indeed an era of trade in
industrial combinations seems evident
from the long list of announcements of
new consultations, rumored as actually
fioated, coming to public view this week.
Whether this tendency has as yet reached
its elimination cannot, of course, be easily
predicted and in some lines of industry the
announcements of projected consolidation
would seem to have left little room for
further operations of this kind. Easily
first in this direction is the giant iron and
steel combination announced with SEEM
ing confidence in process of formation.
Second only.to this however, is the actual
floating of the great copper combina ton.
Outgrowths of these great combinations
are of immense Industrial changes in many
lines, they possess a special interest in the
world of trade and finance because of the
immense aggregations of capital or indus
try involved in their projection of their
carrying out to a successful finish.
While Wholesale trade continues of be-
tween seasons volume and every evidence
Is forthcoming that the aggregate Is in
excess of last year and fairly good portions
and retail demand is of an encouraging
character
That the volume of fall business booked
is in excess of the average is very general
ly conceded. Advances in prices and re-
ported great activity abroad point to the
widespread demand for iron and steel and
render less doubtful the hold of American
on the market. The general values is no.
tably strong for the season of the year, a
prominent exception being pork, and pro-
ducts generally which have the subject of
bearish manipulation.
Cereals are generally firm, cash wheat be-
ing fractionally higher at the seaboard on
interruption to movement by the water
L. L. A.es1r
at Buffalo, while option business is in a
waiting stage pending the government on
which the condition and acreage next week
depends.
Crop advances are still contrary, but good
weather has made for successful planting
and growth Of spring wheat while foreign
crop advices continue good and export de-
mand Is only of moderate proportions.
This, coupled with smaller than expected
decreases in the worlds supplies reported
to Bradstreet's this week, acts as a check
to value, which might otherwise record the
admitted damage to the winter crop. Cop
per, among the metals, retained all its
strength, speculative interest in copper con-
solidation being sustaining feature Off
setting depressing effects on consumptive
3 demand on the recent advance.
A special feature this week is the activity
in building and in real estate reported from
a number of widely separated sections, and
lumber and building materials generally
are firm and tending upwrd.
In textiles, raw cotton is rather weaker
on improving weather and crop conditions
but Manufactured articles are very firm
and some brown and bleached export
grades have been advanced.
Wool markets note change In the buy
ing of some large lots Of domestic woods
for speculation and prices are firm in SYM
pathy with advanced quotations paid fol-
some large lots of Australian bonded WOO
brought for re-export. The strength OF
sugar shows no diminution despite recent