The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-28

General Advance In Prices Con.
unucd-ExpOrt or Cotton Goods the
LarGes Ever KnOwn-ActiveD ema md
In Iron and Stsel-Heavy Export OF
Cereals Continues

New York, February 25.--Bradstreet's
Of tomorrow will say: Iron, steel and
cotton goods have shared In public in
terest this week because Of urgency In
demand and consequent buoyancy In
prices. In the former industry the
striking feature has been the continued
call for supplies, alike OF raw and OF
manufactured material, not only on do
mestic, but even on foreign account
and 1t Is as yet too early to ascertain
the effect OF the numerous and heavy
advances announced during the week
upon the export demand 1t is, of
course, to be remembered that .-on and
steel are in active demand at advanced
prices the world over, and IL is en-
coursing to n that export buyers Of
pig iron are following UP their de-
mands, Notwithstanding recent advices
in this line. 1t is beginning TO be
questioned, however, whether this
country can hold its export trad in
some products TX present price tenden-
cies continue. A notable example of
this is furnished in steel rails, which
are now up TO a parity with quotations
in other countries n some business is
said to have gone abroad because OF
this. Iron n steel prices as a whole
are from Is to so per cent. higher than
they were at this time a year ago. and,
considering the cost Of production and
export, IL Is asserted that profits are
but little below those OF 1890.
In cotton goods. as In iron and steel
and a number OF other products, active
export demand seems to have been at
the bottom Of the unquestional i'm
provement which has occurred In the
last three months. The last week has
witnessed marked strength, print
cloths OinUh1 ms and Drav rnffnn1 al
sharing in the price advances.
The export trade In cotton goods In
the largest ever known for the period
since January LIST, being more than
double the value OF exports a year ago.
Cotton itself Is rather easier and
slightly lower on the week. the result
partly OF a slightly Increased move
ment at the south.
Cereal products remain steady and
but little changed in price, partly be-
cause OF the near approach OF the crop
scare season and also because OF liberal
export calls.
Notwithstanding heavily increased
receipts and continued cutting Of re-
fined sugar by the warning rehners, raw
sugar Is slightly higher on the week.
apparently on the growing appreciation
Of improved statistical conditions.
is reported quiet at some
markets as a result OF the late stormy
weather. but all markets report prices
unchanged, except where quotations
have been still further ADVANCE
Wheat. including -four. shipments OF
the week aggregate 3.s44,35s bushels
against 2,454,7T bushels last week,
3,I22, 469 bushels in the correspondents
week OF 1895: 1,372. 216 bushels in 1897
2,296, 713 bushels in 1896. and 2.G39. 03s
bushels in 1895. Since July list his sea.
0 exports Of wheat aggregate 1872,
ss7 ,349 bushels. against 1e1, 204. 75s
bushels last year.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
2,S71,057 bushels. against 1850, s45 bush.
els last week. $3.50. 799 bushels I'm tnis
week a year ago. 4.144 SIS bushels In
1897. 3.15s,313 bushels in 1896 and SAT-.
s51 9 In 1885. Since July LIST this
seasons corn exports aggregate 107..
1ll.1I3 bushels. against ia, 256. 045 bush.
els during the same period a year ago
BUSINESS failures for h week mum.
Der 20. q gain Of so over last week. and
compared with 1873 in this week a year
) ago. 25s in 1897. 271 in 1896. and ga In