The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-05-06
THIS AN ERA OF
COMBINATIONS.
The Many Recent Consultations OF
Interest to the World.
WHOLESALE TRADE PROSPEROUS
Indications arc That IL viii Exceed
Good Record of Last Ycar-Tonc or
General Values IL strong for
This Time of Year.

NEW YORK, May 5.-Brsdstreets "
morrow will say:
That this IL, indeed an era Of trade ~
Industrial combinations seems evident
from the long last OF announcements OF
new consolids tons. rumored or ectuaily
noated. coming 60 public view TINS weeAs
whether this tendency has a. yet reaches
its elimination cannot, OF course, d
easily predicted. but in some lines OF M
dustry the announcements OF projeetea
consolidation would seem to have ieU
little room for further operations OF TIM
kind. Easily first I'm this direction Is tho
gigantic iron and steel combination an
nounced with seeming confidence as -
process Of formation. Second only 10
this. howsver. Is the actual fioatiue OF the
great copper combination. Outgrowths,
as these great combinations are. OF i'm
mense Industrial changes In many lines.
they possess a special interest IN the
world OF trade and finance because OF the
immense aggregations or capital or IN
dustry involved In their projection or their
carrying out TO successful nrish.
THE TRADE OUTLOOK
While wholesale trade continues OF
between seasons volume. very general
evidence Is forthcoming that the agsre-
gate is In excess OF last years undenis-
bly, good proportions and retail trade Is
OF an encouraging character. That the
volume OF fall business booked Is IN ex,
cess OF the average Is very generally con-
ceded Advances In prices and reported
great activity abroad point to the vide
spread demand for Iron and steel ana
render less doubtful the hold OF Amerf-
can products on foreign markets. The
tone OF general values II notably strong
for the season of tho year. prominent
exception being pork and hog products
generally which have been the subject
OF bearisn manipulation.
Cereals are generally firm. cash WHEAT
being frac,ionany higher al the sea-
board on interruption 20 movement BY
the water route. caused by the grain
handlers strike At Buffalo. while option
business Is I'm a waiting stage pending
the government report on wheat con-
dition and acreage next week.
Crop advices are still contradictory, but
good weather has made for successful
planting and growth OF spring wheat
while foreign crop advices continue good
and export demand f. OF only moderate
proportions This coupled with smaller
than expected decreases In worlds sup
plies reported 10 Bradstreets this week.
acts as "A check TO values which might
otherwise record the admitted damage t.
the winter wheat crop
COPPER STILL STRONG.
Copper. among the metals. retains all It's
strength. speculative interest I'm copper
consolidation being a sustaining feature.
offsetting depressing effects on consump-
tive demand of the recent advance
special feature this week Is the activity
In building and I'm real estate reported
from a number OF widely separated Sec
lions and lumber and building materials
generally are consequently firm or tend
ing upward.
In textiles. raw cotton Il rather weak
or on improving weather and crop con-
dltiOns but manufactured goods are very
firm and some brown and bleached ex-
port grades have been advanced. Wool
markets note change In the buying or
some large lots Of domestic woods for
speculation. and prices are firm Ia SYM
pathy with the advanced quotations paid
for some large lots Of Australian bonded
wool bought for re-export.
SUGAR HOLDS ITS OWN.
The strength OF sugar shows no diminu-
ton despite recent advances and further
gains are 20 be noted chiefly owing IN
good domestic demand and advancing
European markets
Leather and hides are hrm. and boot
and shoe manufacturers are realizing adj
vanccf quotations.
Business failures are down 10 their low
est level numbering only l6i this week.
against ia IN this week year ago.
Wheat including -four shipments for
the week aggregate 2, ~ osi against 3o2N-
ioS bushels last week. s23. 1j bushels IN
the corresponding week ~ 1898. l1a522
busheles In 1897: l.SS3 us bushels In 1898
and 2 sos. 40 bushels I'm 1895.
Since July LIST. OF this season. the ex-
ports Of wheat aggregate 1873 "a. So BUSH
els against 1875 s7s,f 40 bushels last year.
corn exports for the week aggregate
SO go bushels sgains, 2sij.01s bushels
last week. 6.lS5.9a bushels In this week a
year ago. 3lZ7. 7ls bushels in 1897: 1881. 80
bushels In 1896 and 933 ss7 in 1905.
Since July LIST of this season. corn ex-
ports aggregate iiS bushels against
1875 "a bushels during the same period
a year. ago.
Business failures In Canada number q
against q a week ago and % in this