The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-01
TREND OF TRADE.
Failures for the First Quartcr-sIight
Check TO business Owing to COM
pick Conditions Railroad Earnings

/ # Z
pick Conditions-I -Itailroad Earnings
Greater.
NEW YORK, March CIR. G. Dun 6;
Co., in their Weekly Review of Trade
viii say:
Failures during the first quarter Of
1899 have been in amount OF liabilities
not more than about s26, 6,GSO, $3.50 against
S31,7lO.142 last year, slS,OO7,9l0 in 1897
and s57,525,135 in 1896. While the later
returns may increase the amount for
the quarter little, the complete return
which will be given next week will be
very remarkable in comparison with
that of any previous year.
Business Is not at present Improving.
There has been something very like n
check, partly the result Of heavy buy
ing since January LIST to anticipate the
market. partly caused by the uncertain
ty about the operation Of many combI-
nations. and q shade of doubt about for
eiSn affairs also had some influence.
The new rule OF the clearing house
banks at New York about taxation OF
country checks also causes some shift
Ing of accounts. a period OF transition
from one ownership and management
to another, and from one Industrial sys-
tenn to another. when 1t affects many
hundred establishments throughout the
country inevitably causes some heslta-
ton In business. A little later the
many hundred concerns may be doing
more business than ever us they were
just before combinations were effected.
Iron and Steel.
Prices are strongly maintained In iron
at SIS 10 for Bessemer pig at Pittsburgh.
the valley association having sold $780,
900 tons for delivery in the last half of
the year at Sl4 50 and grey forge Is
strong at s14 40, but hesitation appears
at Philadelphia about maintenance Of
future prices. Chicago is inactive COM
pared with recent weeks. With no sales
reported except 10000 tons at Chicago,
rails are quoted 81 higher there and the
sale Of 250. 900 tons steel billets to the tin
plate company sets prices for 100 pound
plate at 81 05 after July /. Structural
demand increases. but bar mills at the
west and south are consolidating and
are not disposed to take large contracts.
although the Pittsburgh mills are ask
Ing 81 50 because behind their orders.
For plates the demand far exceeds the
sbPpi1 anu anu
the leading mills at Pittsburgh are full
until August or later. In hoops, cotton
ties. tubes and other products. expected
consolidation affects business. Minor
metals are stronger for tin at "a cents
with consuming demand. and for cop
per at 17.5 cents, owing to London spec
ulation.
Wheat Tends Higher.
The fluctuations OF the wheat market
have been large and tend on the whole
toward higher quotations. Exports at
Atlantic ports, flour included, have been
for four weeks 11.679.512 bushels against
9.392,49j last year: and Pacific $50, 3,6S7
bushels against 2.774112 and the other
exports not given last year make the
total 1881, ,S99 bushels. Western re-
ceipts have been 12,942,S15 bushels
against 9,96S.373 last year.
Railroad earnings for three weeks of
March have been IL per cent larger
than last year and 9.S per cent larger
than IN 1872, and the edEt -B0Ilnd II
from Chicago In four weeks have been
+59. .43s tons against G22,901 last year and
356.365 in 1892. which indicates quite
clearly the remarkable depression In
rates at Chicago.
Failures for the week have been 1911
in the United States against 200 last
year. and 26 in Canada against g last
year.