Evening journal., 1899-07-22
CONDITION OF TRADE.

Commenting on trade conditions
during the past week Bradstreet's
says:
'The general trade situation has ap-
parently lost nothing in strength. The
aggregate of midsummer business is Of
an unprecedented volume, and signs Of
expansion in the demand for FAN and
Winter goods increase. Prices, except
for cereals, coffee. raw sugar and some
dairy products, are either firmly held
OF tend upward Notably among those
advancing are pork products, petrol
cum, copper. tin, tin plates and raw
wool, while the list Of products un-
changed includes refined sugar, hides,
leather lead and cotton. Industrial
activity continues at the maximum,
skilled labor being busily employed,
but some troubles are noted among
unskilled workers.. notably street car
employees and longshoremen, partly
owing to mischievous agitation and
midsummer influences, but also, no
doubt, to restiveness at failure of pros
porous conditions to materialize in
their cases. Crop prospects are encour-
aging; the movement of grain to mar
ket is Of immense volume. and rail-
road earnings, consequently, continue
TO show large increases over preceding
years The weakness of cereals, while
partly due to a cessation in the for
eign demand, developed by stories Of
crop damage, is quite as much owing
to unprecedentedly heavy receipts OF
old crop grain at leading primary mar
kets and the belief that present good
crop conditions point 10 liberal sup
plies later in the season. Possibili-
ties that the present corn crop will
equal. If not exceed. the largest on rec
ord have depressed prices Of this CO.
real TO an extent equal 70 the decline
in wheat The corn yield in Kansas
particularly promises TO be enormous,
always providing that hot winds do
not affect the crop. Iron and steel re-
tain an OF their old strength. and.
while prices at the East are unchang-
ed. further advances in crude and
manufactured material are noted at
Chicago. Inquiry shows that the
scarcity Of supplies in this industry
has exercised some influence upon in
dustrial operations. Several mills at
the West are reported idle because Of
lack Of material. Structural forms Of
iron and steel are also backward in de-
livery. and some new work has been
discouraged by fears that supplies OF
material will not be forthcoming. Talk
of the placing OF an immense order for
steel plates receives practical confir-
nation in a dispatch from Pittsburg.
In some respects, however, this seems
to be the restating Of an old PROPOSE
ton. by which a large producing com
pany bound itseE not to embark in the
car business. provided needed supplies
were obtained from it. Advices from
Pittsburg are that the car building
company has been getting and using
about three-fourths Of the 1000 tons
per day mentioned in the contract. and
Will require the remaining portion af-
ter the lst Of August In textile cir
cles the situation is one OF unabated
strength, but particularly so in wool
and woolen goods. Manufacturers are
freer buyers at the East. and their
agents are purchasing heavily at the
West. Quotations for fine grades are
consequently, higher all around. In
the market for finished goods order.
are of large volume, particularly in
worsteds. and some concerns are cut
ting down consumers orders, claimin,
inability to deliver"