The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-25
REPORT
General Business sifuatfonOne OF Quiet
Strength-In Industrial Lines ctivfty
Cuabated

General Business sftuatfonOne of Quier
Strength-In Industrial Lines Activity
Cnabated '
New York, April 21.-Bradstreets I
tomorrow will say:
The general business situation Is one
OF quiet strength, while in industrial
lines actively continues ~unabaIed- The
well nigh universal testimony of dam
age TO the winter wheat crop has had
surprisingly little effect on prices as
yet, owing partly to improved weather
conditions strengthening the hopes OF
a larger area in spring wheat, and also
TO good crop reports abroad and in
creased visible supplies compared with
a year ago, encouraging foreign buyers
in their neglect Of American offerings.
| An enlarged demand for this country's
manufactured products in some degree
counter-balances the falling OF in the
value of agricultural exports, notably
| cereals and cotton, shown as compared
with a year ago. For the mon or
March a drop of SIS, 600, 900 in exports
of breadstuffs, cotton, provisions, live
cattle and mineral oils has been partly
made up by a gain Of nearly $40, 600, 900
in other products, leaving the net de-
fciency as compared with a year ago Z
per cent.
Imports reflect the increased purchas-
ing power of the country, the total for
March, in fact being the largest since
May, 1897. For the nine months Pc
Rod exports, as a whole, are a little less
than double the imports.
In iron and steel new business is of
even smaller proportions, a notable ex-
ception, however, being in b line OF
wire goods and nails, Oh which prices
have been very generally advanced.
Quotations of pig iron, steel billets and
nearly all Of the cruder forms are firm
ly held, while for many finished pro-
ducts, such as plates and bars, even
higher quotations are asked.
Mills and furnaces are reported
crowded with business on earlier orders
and the disposition of buyers to de-
lay placing their business for the latter
part Of the year is reported as viewed
4 with equanimity.
The cotton goods situation is still
a strong one, though current demand
! from agents is light. Heavy orders
booked for gray goods some time ago
make for strength in this line, but con-
COllIpldAl lAdl lulSuCu SOONo
have not advanced proportionately. Re-
tail distributor of staple products has
been improved by more favorable
weather, thus encouraging hopes of fu-
ture good recorders from wholesale
hands.
Following the outburs. of activity
in wool last week business has rather
fallen off, but values remain steady.
Continued buying of high grades of for
eign wool for re-export is reported, and
there is some talk Of high grade Amer
lean woods being bought for shipment
to England.
Following advance early in the week,
due to good foreign advices and smaller
than expected crop movement, cotton
is Quieter, but holds part of the ad-
vance.
Strength of raw sugars is a notable
feature. Abroad, quotations of beet
sugar have been advanc d, while the
cane yield is not expected to be large
and Bradstreet's advices point to not
more than half an average crop being
grown in Louisiana. Raw sugar IS
higher on the week, blu refined lags
] behind, though consumption is enor-
nous.
The demand for lumber at wholesale
continues good, and the southern indus
try seems to be sharing to the full in
the general prosperity. Retailers, how
ever, report buyers slow to pay the ad-
vanced quotations.
Leather and hides. are strong, and
boots and shoes hold recent advances.
Wheat, including flour, shipments
for the week agr 'egate 2,932,959 bush
els, against 1888, 619 bushels last week,
1892, LOG bushels in the corresponding
week of 1S9 1854, 66S bushels in 1897,
1886, 400 bushels in 1896 and 2,431,6 34
bushels in 1895. Since July LIST this
season, the exports of wheat aggregate
1913, 262, 17S bushels, against 191, 503.6%
bushels last year.
Il. Corn exports for the week aggregate
1901, $40 bushels, against 2,666,125
. bushels last year., 3,363,4S2 bushels in
this week a year ago, 4,769,315 bushels
in 1897, 981, 206 bushels in 1896 and
482, $50 bushels in 1895. Since July LIST
this season corr exports aggregate 1885,
O47, 744 bushels against 147,1 q ,324
bushels during the same period a year
ago.
Business failures show a notable fall
ing off from those of last week, aggre-
eating 1877, against 243 in the preced-
ing week, 224 in this week a year ago,
PIG in 1897, 240 in 1896 and 223 in 1895.
D~estructfve Fires