Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-02
TRADE STILL HEAVY.
~ ALSO CONTINUES TO BE PROS
POROUS AND HEALTHY.
IMPROVEMENT IN FAILURE RECORD
malta M DefnuIts to business Pay
mcnts smaller Than in ienrs-'"i-
ume of business Large D"ri"s W."
xembcr Thup i'm October.

NEW YORK, December l.-Messrs' H.
g Dun & Co.'S Weekly Review OF TRADE
tomorrow, will say;
Business continues wonderiuily large
nrosperous. and healthy AS the de-
rallied statement of failures by branches
of business cannot be made until next
week. IL seems well to say that In -FOUR
weeks failures have been reported
amounting to s6,s4S,59o. against $s,llO40
in the same weeks of last year NlelO'lsJ
I'm 1851. and over 100000 in 1886, and also
in 1895. Yet the volume of solvent
trade represented by exchanges at the
principal clearinghouse has been for
the month 22.5 per cent. greater than last
year. and 40 per cent. greater than IN lSs2.
Thus. the ratio OF defaults TO business
payments was S2.57 in the $1,000 for No
vember, 1895; SIZE for 1896, and &.l5 for
1857, but 81 Is for 1885, and only 30 cents
in $1,000 for 1899.
In many lines the volume of business
has been larger than I'm October not
withstanding the extraordinary flood OF
buying ever since the beginning of last
March.
WHEAT, CORN, AND COTTON.
Wheat remains weak, yielding ii
cents, although western receipts were
barely half last years for the week, and
for four weeks only 2l.7G,5o5 bushels,
against 3S,602 739 last year. The great de-
crease in Atlantic exports for the week
only 2,nO554, against 6,l3,0j6 bushels,
and for four weeks 1O,17s, I35, against H.
3SS,2l0 last year, explains much weakness.
Corn declined l cent, with slightly
tl.,, 1aut a
week. but for four weeks 5,265,7i5 bushels,
against II ,479,C9S last year.
The cotton movement has not changed
much, but prices gained a sixteenth for
the week, closing at 7u cents. against
5.62 last year. The large takings Of spin
neTs, and the great demand for goods
have materially helped the rise.
COTTON AND WOOLLEN GOODS.
Cotton goods have remained strong. all
coming forward not under contract being
snapped up quickly with contracts still
untitled running into next year. In wool
lens a strong demand continues for
dress goods, and cotton-warp and all
wool cashmeres tend higher, but there
is not much change in mems wear, nor
such rise as to justify the high prices
paid for wool. Sales continue heavy but
largely speculative, and stimulated by
the rise IN London. The excitement Of
speculation leads many to overlook the
fact that purchases of goods are 10 some
extent. hindered by the rise in prices al
ready made.
IRON AND STEEL.
The iron manufacture has to meet
a greatly increased cost Of material next
year Prices for 1850 have been fixed at
800 for Bessemer ore at Lower Lake
ports. against S2.53 last year. and 1925 for
nOn-Bessemer, against s. last year, while
coke at S2.75 for furnace, with high rail
rates in every direction, indicates that
iron will not be made next year as cheap
ly as 1t has been.
Prices Of pig still advance. according
to the Iron Age, Bessemer 10 So at Pitts
burg, with very small transactions, and
gray forge 10 S2l25. quotations at other
points being unchanged. The prices OF
some finished products are still yielding
as works run out of orders and compete
with others for more business, and re-
fined bar Is 81 per ton lower at Philadel-
phia, common g per ton lower at Pitts
burg, and plates s. lower at Philadelphia,
with further concessions in sheets, be-
cause many OF the tin-pate works are
now closed. Some of the iron-works
about Pittsburg are running half-time.
BOOTS, SHOES, AND LEATHER.
The shipments Of boots and shoes in
four weeks have been 373.307 cases, Il
per cent. larger than in 1887. and 80 per
cent. larger than in 1894. exceeding those
Of other years even more. But new busl-
ness. although considerable in quantity.
shows "A marked decrease. because Of the
prolonged rise in prices. even though that
rise has been relatively less than the
advance in leather. which still continues,
or I'm hides. which has apparently been
checked again.
Failures for tho week nave been lfi IN
the United states. against PSI last year.
and q in Canada, against 10 last year.