Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-16
Further Advance in the Val
ues Of Many Commodities
Also Continues.
DEMAND is ENCOURAGED.
Increased Quotations ON Cotton and
Wool Are Greater Than ON Pros
Sucts Thererrom-As Viewed
by Bfadstreet.

ISL cents with much excitement, put
ting the pricei21a cents higher than it
was year age, and yet it was still
higher in September, 1897. Wool has
risen relatively more-about 10 per cent
in two weeks-and the average of 100
quotations by Coates Brothers is high
er than it has been at any other time
since May, 1898. Pig iron has risen
further, s25 being quoted for anthra-
cite No. i. the highest price since
January. 1888. Hides are at the high
est point since January, 1873, having
risen all the year with very little reac-
ton.
prices OF products have not CORE
spondingly advanced. Leather and
boots and shoes were higher in No
! yember, 1895, than they are now; cot
ton goods were higher in January, 1896,
Wooden goods in July, 1894, and even
the products OF iron, though greatly
advanced, are not as high as they were
in January, 1890.
"Such wide discrepancies in advances
cause much embarrassment, but are
the natural characteristics of rise
which is mainly due, not to concerted
action in any trade, but to the pressure
of a consuming demand, the greatest
ever known, which for the time eX-
ceeds supplies, though very unequally.
Its results begin to justify the conser-
varive feeling which finds expression
In many branches of business"
Present business conditions in the
United States are thus briefly describ-
ed in r. G.. Dun & Co.'s Weekly Review
of Trade, issued today. The Review
continues:
The iron industry, which has led all
others in the advance, now leads the
way towards a readjustment of values.
While. contracts for pig cover the en-
tire product of the most important dis
tricts for six to nine months in adj
"a pse,,s many Of the consuming works
in some lines approach the end of their
orders and have new competition to
meet, so that sheets have fallen 81 per
ton at Pittsburg and 50 from the high
est point in September, and plates are
So lower there and So at Philadelphia.
At the same time bars are 81 per ton
higher both at Philadelphia and Pitts
burg, the demand being enormous, and
at-Chicago very heavy contracts have
been made for car and implement
works. A. bridge combination is
thought likely to affect future business
structural shapes, which continues
here, for the season. A break in the
London market depressed tin, and sales
were made at % cents.
Boot and shoe makers are generally
getting about the 10 cents per pair ad-
vance they have held necessary, and
have as large contracts in most lines
as they now wish to close, in view of
the uncertainty about materials. Lea
ther continues very strong and in that
also dealers. are not anxious for great
er commitments, but consuming de-
mand causes large sales in advance OF
production.
Wool has been very strong again,
though sales at Boston, were but 49,
100000 pounds against 21,557,aO the
week before, for large transactions
elsewhere raised the weeks aggregate
to 20,201 900, and buyers hold firmly
for outside prices Nothing like the
sensational rise OF last week has con
tinued, and the buying by manufactur-
ers is slower, though still large. This
and accounts of good trade indicate
that an extraordinary business is ex-
ected for the next season.
The rise in cotton as yet helps man
ufactureTs whose contracts cover pro-
duction well ahead, but the buying has
been mainly by traders and based
largely on an expectation, of very low
estimate of yield by the department.
While last years official estimate was
) not highly accurate, the whole trade
: here and abroad then counted on a
large crop and was right.
Wheat has not been very active or
strong, though western receipts have
much declined, being 4,931, 9O7 bushels
for the week,b against 9,924,045 last
year. Exports are also smaller, the
Atlantic 2,563,637 bushels, flour includ-
ed, against 3,33S,509 for the week last
year, and Pacific 1,1SS,690 bushels,
against 1,016,691 last year. The de-
crease in foreign demand may be
ascribad in part to heavy previous eN-
ports, but perhaps still more to the
great movement in corn, 3, ass, 104 bush
els for the week, against 2,062,331 last
year. Corn advanced as much as wheat
fell, though with prospects of heavy
yield.
Failures for the week have been 157
in the United States, against 211 last
year, and twenty-three in Canada,
against twenty-six last year.
A. viewed by Bradstreet.
Bradstreet's says:
Strength Of prices, a natural outcome
of past and present active demand, is
still the leading feature of the trade