The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-04-05
TRADE REVIEW.
A Slight Luii in BUSINESS circles- Strong Price
of Iron Products
crnin. Flour and Feed.

A Slight Lu in BUSINESS circies- Strong Prices
OF Iron Products.
II. G. Dun & Co., in their weekly re-
view of trade, report as follows for last
week: Failures during the first quar-
ter of 1889 have been in amount of LA
bilities not more than about $26,6S0,-
$50, against $3l ,100l52 last year, $iS,-
0OI9l0 in 1897 and S57,525,1O5 in 1895.
While the latter returns may increase
the amount for the quarter a little,
the complete return. which Will be
given next week, will be very remark
able in comparison with that of any
previous year.
Business is not at present improv-
ing. There has been something very
like check, partly the result of heavy
buying since January first to antici-
pate the market partly caused by the
uncertainty about the operation of
many combinations and a shade of
doubt about foreign affairs also had
some influence. The new rule of the
clearing house banks at New York
about taxation of country checks also
causes some shifting o. accounts. A
period of transition from one owner
ship and management to another, and
from one industrial system to another,
when 1t affects many hundred estab-
lishments throughout the country In
eVitably causes some hesitation in
business.
A little later the many hundred
concerns may be doing more business
than ever, as they were Just before
combinations were effected. But at
the point of transition nobody knows
Just what to expect. There is much
withdrawal of iron business because
continuance of high prices is doubted,
because great purchases made by
many works have not been met by or
ders, and because works affected by
many other combinations proposed are
not inclined to buy more largely.
Prices are strongly maintained at
Slb 10 for bessemer pig at Pittsburg.
the Valley association having sold
10000 tons for delivery in the last half
of the year at Sl4 so, and gray forge is
stronger at $14 40, but hesitation ap-
pears at Philadelphia about mainten-
ance of future prices. Chicago is in
active compared with recent weeks.
With no sales reported except 10000
tons at Chicago, rails are quoted 81
higher there and as much at Pittsburg,
| and the sale of $50 600 tons of steel bill
let's to the Tin Plate Company sets
prices for 100-pound plate at 81 O5 after
July ]. Structural demand increases,
but bar mills at the West and South
oiS eoHooiddtiii5 anu are liDl QlSpOstu
to take large contracts, although the
Plttsburg mills are asking 81 SO be-
cause behind their orders. For plates
the demand far exceeds the supply at
Philadelphia and Chicago. and the
leading mills at Pittsburg are full un-
I'll August or later In hoops, cotton
| ties, tubes and other products expected
| consolidation affects business. Minor
metals are stronger for tin at "a cents.
with consuming demand, and for cop
per at 17.5 cents. owing to London
| speculation.
The fluctuations OF the wheat mar
lSet have been large and tend. on the
whole. toward higher quotations. Ex-
ports at Atlantic ports. -four included
have been. for four weeks, 11,679,512
| bushels, against 9.2924 495 bushels last
year; and Pacific $685. ,6S7 bushels
| against 2.774112 bushels; and the other
exports. not given last year. make the
total 1T,3l7.0S9 bushels. Western re-
| ceipts. have been 12,949,sl5 bushels
| against 996S.S13 last year.
Railroad earnings for three weeks
of March have been Al per cent larger
than last year and 9S per cent larger
than in 1892, and the eastbound tom
mage from Chicago In four weeks has
been 450.43s tons. againqt 6229O1 last
year and 356.355 In 1892, which indi-
Gates quite clearly the remarkable de-
preston IN rates at Chicago.