Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-06
TRADE COMBINATIONS
THIS ~ EVIDENTLY An ERA OF
DIG CONSULTATIONS.
HUGE AGGREGATIONS OF CAPITAL.
Ouscrowths They Are of Immense
Industrial Changcs-rhc Trade sit
untiou-Voiumc Of Fall business
Hooked I'm Excess of Average.

| NEW YORK, May 5.-Bradsuee' D. To-
| morrow. will say:
That this is, indeed, an era OF trade ana
industrial combinations. seems evident
from the long list of announcements Oh
new cancellations. rumored or actuaiiy
noated, coming 10 public view this week
Whether this tendency has as yet reached
its elimination cannot, OF course, be easi-
Iy predicted, but in some lines OF in
dustry the announcements OF proJec'eu
consultations would seem TO have lett
little room for further operations OF 'his
kind. Easily first in this direction IL
the gigantic iron and steel combination
announced with seeming confidence as In
process Of formation. Second only 10
this. however, is the actual hoaung Oh
the great copper combination. Out
growths. as these great combinations are
of immense industrial changes In many
lines. they possess special interest III
the world of trade and finance. because
of the immense aggreSations OF capia'
or industry involved in their proJectioh'
or their carrying out to successful IN
ish.
WHOLESALE 11sAl)E
Uhile wholesale trade continues Of
between seasons volume, very general
evidence IS forthcoming that the aggre-
gate Is in excess of last years undenia-
bly, good proportions, and retail traue Is
of an encouraging character. mat the
volume OF fall business booked Is IN ex-
cess of the average is very generally
conceded. Advances in prices and re-
ported great activity abroad point TO
widespread demand for iron and steel
and render less doubtful the hold OF Anne
rican products on foreign markets. Inc
tone of general values is notably strong
for the season of the year, a prominent
exception being pork and hog produc's
generally, which have been the SUBJECT
of bearish manipulation.
THE CEREALS.
Cereals are generally firm. cash wheat
being fractionally higher at the seabodrd'
on interruption to movement by the
water-route, caused by the grain-hand-
lers' strike at Buffalo, while option bust
ness is in a waiting stage, pending the
government report on wheat condition
and acreage, next week. crop advlces
are still contradictory, but good weather
has made for successful planting ana
growth of spring wheat. while foreign
port demand Is of only moderate pro-
portions. This. coupled with smaller
than expected decreases IN worlds sup
plies reported to Bradstreet's this week,
acts as a check to values which might
otherwise record the admitted damage
TO the winter wheat crop.
COPPER AND LUMBER.
Copper, among the metals. retains all
f,e interest
per consolidation being a sustaining fea-
ture, off-setting depressing effects on con-
sumptive demand of the recent advance
A special feature this week is the ac-
tiyjty in building and in real estate re-
ported from a number of widely sepa-
rated sections. and lumber and building
materials generally are consequently firm
or tending upward.
TEXTILES.
In textiles, raw cotton is rather weak
er. on improving weather and crop con-
ditions, but manufactured goods are very
firm, and some brown and bleached eX-
port grades have been advanced. Wool
markets note change in the buying OF
some large lots of domestic woods for
speculation, and prices are firm. in SYM
pathy with the advanced quotations paid
for some large lots Of Australian bonded
wool bought for re-eXport.
SUGAR, LEATHER, ETC.
The strength of sugar shows no diminu-
ton, despite recent advances, and further
gains are to be noted. chiefly owing TO
good domestic demand and advancing
European markets. Leather and hides
are firm. and boot and shoe manufac-
turers are realizing advanced quotations.
Business failures are down 10 their
lowest level, numbering only l6i this
week. against 1Si this week year ago.
GRAIN EXPORTS.
Wheat, including -four, shipments for
the week aggregate 3.4S40N against 3,02S,-
4OS bushels last week, 2,923,715 bushels in
the corresponding week of 1898, l,799.322
bushels in 1897, l.SS3,7lS bushels in 1886,
and 2,S05 800 bushels in 1895.
Since July 1st OF this season the exports
of wheat aggregate i99,14662 bushels,
against 1889 40 bushels last year.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
2.Si7 200 bushels, against 26l5,0l9 bushels
last week, 6,1S5,90i bushels. this week a
year ago. S127,7Sl bushels in 1891. 1891, 756
bushels in 1896 and 9S3, S97 in 1895.
Since July LIST of this season corn exports
aggregate 1i3, 1l3 bushels, against 49,,
525, 29i bushels during the same period a
year ago.
FAILURES IN CANADA.
Business failures in Canada number %.
against p a week ago, and - in this
week Il year ago.