Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-10-21
DUN'S REPORT
Saws That Business Generally
Continues to Expand.
Prices Still Advance---South African
War Has Little Effect.
k,.sSA,.S w.
Works Crowded to Utmost Capacity ane
Orders Are Pouring IN.

New York. Oct. OR. u. Dun q
cos. Weekly Review of Trade, tomor-
row, will say: In most lines business
continues to expand, though IN some
there are signs that buying mas oeeh
checked either because prices nave
outrun the views of buyers or BECAUSE
recent purchases have been so heavy
that nobody is left in need. Prices are
still advancing in almost every line
supported by rising prices OF mater
ials. and works everywhere are sun
crowded to their utmost capacity,
while at many points it is found hard
TO get enough competent hands. Inc
outbreak of war in South Africa has
brought no such changes as many
feared.
Wheat has declined 112c. in price in
spite of unfavorable crop reports. and
Northwestern receipts do not keep up
with the Unprecedented movement of
last year having been 23,454. 400 bushels
against O.529, 494 during three weeks of
october, last year. But Atlantic ex-
ports, flour included. have been in three
weeks of October, 10,679,216 bushels
against 9,6S6,226, last year, and Pacific
exports, 1,5391SS. against 2.29S, 312 last
year.
The upward movement of cotton, 3-16
for the week, has now come to depend
largely upon d great speculation, for
farmers by the thousand are now hold
ing back cotton to some extent, while
important banking and trading inter-
ests are enlisted. The consumption is
heavy, but might be much larger, even
with the lowest estimate of yield,
without exhausting the visible and mill
supplies Wool has also enlisted
powerful speculative interest and sales
of II, o93. 900 pounds for the week at the
three chief markets represent about
twice the consumption.
Sales of $4,000 tons of bessemer pig
and a reported demand for 100000 tons
billets in a large market at Pittsburg
have made quotations less intelligent
than usual. BeSSemer sales at $23 for
next year. and s245O for this year at
Pittsburg. are reported, with billet sales
at $39 to $40 and sales of sheet bars at
S36 per ton. The Western market is
strong and the Eastern not changed.
Shipments of boots and shoes from
the East have been 106,412 cases for
the week, against 91,142 last year, an
increase of II per cent. But the bust
about prices the manufacturers hold
ing it necessary to demand about twice
the increase in price which they asked
q month or six weeks ago. while trad
ers are very slow to pay so much ad-
vance. In consequence orders for the
coming season are unusually small at
present, though many of the works
have enough business on hand to last
them for some time. In leather. the
recent advance causes much Irregular
ity in transactions. At Chicago the
market for hides has been very active.
and reported sales of 265000 sides al
five markets has filled up many tan
neries for some time to come. Mean
while sales of country hides are slow,
as buyers are not inclined to pay quo
tations asked.
Failures for the week have been AS
in the United States. against 221, last
year, and 20 in Canada, against "a, last
year.