The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-25
BRADSTREET'S REVIEW.
Steel in Increasing Demand and at Adj
vancing Prices.

Steel in Increasing Demand and at Ad-
vancing Prices.
New York, Feb. 24.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say: Iron and steel and
cotton goods have shared in public
interest this week because Of urgency
in demand and consequent buoyancy in
prices. In the former industry the strik-
ing feature has been that continued call
for supplies alike for raw and manu-
featured material, not only on domestic
but even on foreign account, and it lis
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 iron and steel are in
active demand at advancing prices the
world over and it is encouraging to
find that export buyers of pig iron are
following up their demands, notwith-
standing recent advances in this line.
1t is beginning to be questioned, how
ever, whether this country can hold its
export trade in some products if pres
ent price tendencies continue. A nota-
BILE example of this is furnished in steel
rails, which are now up to a parity
with quotations in other countries and
some business is said to have gone
abroad because of this. Iron and steel
prices, as a whole, are from Is to 20 per
cent. higher than they We're at this
time a year ago, and considering the
cost of production and output, it is as
serted that profits are but little below
those of 1890
In cotton goods, as in iron and steel
and number of other products, active
export demand seems to have been at
the bottom of the unquestionable i'm
provement which has occurred in the
last three months. The last week has
witnessed especially marked strength,
print cloths, ginghams and gray cot
tons all sharing in the price advances.
The export trade in cotton goods is
the largest ever known for the period
since January l. being more than
double the value of exports year ago.
Cotton itself is rather easier and slight
ly lower en- the week, the result partly
of a slightly increased movement in the
South. Cereal products remain steady
and but little changed in price, partly
because of the near approach of the
crop scare season, and also because of
liberal export calls. Notwithstanding
heavy increased receipts and continued
cutting of refined sugar by the warning
retinerieS, raw sugar is signify higher
on the week, apparently on the growing
appreciation Of improved statistical
conditions. Lumber is reported quiet
at some markets as result of the late
stormy weather. but all markets report
prices unchanged, except where quota
lions have been still further advanced.
Wheat including flour, shipments for
the week aggregate 3,S44, 359 bushels
against 2,454,771 bushels last week, g.
722, 1859 bushels in the corresponding
week of 1898, 1,372,215 bushels in 1897,
2,2O6,773 bushels in 1896 and 2,63903S
bushels in 1895.
Business failures for the week num-
Der 220, a gain of 60 over last week. and
COMPARED with 1873 in this week year
ago, 25S in 1897, 271 in 1896 and 234 in
1895. Business failures in the dominion
of Canada for the week number SO
against 40 last week, 45 in this week
year ago, so in 1897, 81 in 1896 and A in
1895.