The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-21
CONES HIGHER
One Reason Being the Fear
of Shortage in Fine Grades.
BLUFF PRICES FOR IRON
To Scare Off 0rderS--0ther
Good Times Incidents.

New York, Jan Or. G. Dun & Co.'S
Weekly Review Of Trade viii say tomor-
row:
| A new year rarely opens brilliantly. Too
many traders have 10 wait for the demand
which in winter comes slowly. The in
| dustries resist fairy well the tendency TO
unlimited expslsion which some have to
meet. Speculation in products is gaining
bur little, while in stocks. enormous volume
prices. The volume Of payments through
clearing houses Is extraordinary, 42-2 per
cent larger than last year, 96.s per cent
larger than in 1887. and SIS per cent larger
than in 1892. even the transactions outside
Of New York showing a gain over 1882 Of
446 per cent. Speculation at New York
therefore cannot be the main cause OF
gain.
Difficulties between holders Of material
and manufacturers continue to hinder in
some industries and in some may prove
seriously embarrassing. but the activity IS,
On the whole, unsurpassed hitherto. and
pectations. In some branches consumption
is running beyond the producing capacity,
but in others 1t is hindered by doubts about
the future supplies and prices of mate
rails
The wooden manufacture is still waiting,
with only a moderate demand for goods
as yet. The production is large, and con-
siderab bly, larger than in recent years, but
does not nearly approact the capaciy Of
he mills. Sales OF woods for the past three
weeks at the three centers Of the eastern
market have been I6. 49,, 600 pounds, against
o, 81. 900 last year and prices of domestic
fleece are lower. with present demand run
ming Largely TO quarter and half-blood and
Australian crossbred. But there " not
enough change in material demau> for
goods, but raw cotton has so RAPIDLY ad-
vanced that possible buyers apprehend a
fall, and there is hesitation IN the pur-
chases of staples. With receipts of cot
ton far ahead of last years, from the
greatest crop then ever raised, there is
now apprehension that good qualities may
fall short before the year closes Much
cotton remains in the fields yet, unlocked
on account of bad weather, and is deter
iorating in quality. The silk manufactur-
ers Notwithstanding threats Of its inter-
ference, and disputes about duties. seem
TO be making steady progress.
The iron and steel manufacture leads al,
others in the volume Of new business.
While production is much the largest ever
known, many of the works are withdraw
ing all quotations or naming prohibitorv
prices in order to check orders which they
cannot fill for months 10 come, and do not
want 10 accept at current prices The /
number OF such works is rapidly increas I
ing. as the heavy demand for materials
covers many months capacity The bes-
semer pig is a shade higher. at so 90. with /
sales OF 25.0O0 tons at Pittsburg and there /
Is something like famine in grey forge /
with sales at ss-75, although one sale at
1886 in the valley is reported While fin /
ished products are in very great demand /
especially for car building and special (
works at the west. the week shows no ad- /
vance in prices excepting 80 cents per ton /
in steel rails at the east.
The conditions favor continuance of the /
extraordinary foreign trade, which result
ed in the greatest balance in favor OF this !
country ever known. January this year /
indicates a similar excess Of exports over
imports. and while wheat exports have in
creased every nsath since last August.
they have been in three weeks 1507S. on /
bushels (fiour included) from both coasts.
against 1885. s52 bushels last year Corn
exports have been quite up to last years /
unprecedented record, amounting to 9.509
$50 bushels, against 927o. 1S9 for three weeks /
Of January last year. although prices have
declined about half cent. The contest
between spectators in wheat at the w=<t
and at the east has held prices fairly
steady. with an advance OF only an eighth /
for the week
Cotton fell 10 cents but afterward rose
TO 612 cents. without satisfactory reason
in trading, but because Of apprehension
that supplies OF good quality might fall
short.
ailures for the week have been 24a in
the United States. against 374 last year.
and 81 in Canada, against 50 last year.
BRADSTREETs
New York. Jan. 20.-Bradstreet's toner
row will say:
The continued strength OF staple values
accumulated by further advances this
week in iron and steel and other metals.
in cotton at the south. and in lumber az
some western points. has undoubtedly add
ed TO the confidence with which the out
look for the ensuing year Is regarded
That this confidence has a fair basis in
fact viii D. gathered from the reports re-
ceived from the iron and cotton goods
trades. the frmness in cotton goods being
Of considerable interest in view OF the de-
preston ruling throughout the larger par
OF last year. Good trade advices from
abroad. a reduced movement al the south
and tendency 70 pare down estimates
are reflected in the slight gain il raw
cotton values this week The advance
shown. however, hardly reflects The urssr,
cy noted in the demand for better grades
Of cotton. which this year are scarcer
than usual. owing 20 bad weather during
the picking season
The iron trade situation remains. as for
some time past, a feature OF absorbing
Interest Large as the production OF Die
iron IS, eager buyers are found apparently
for every Ton offered Most furnaces are
reported booked ahead or orders ard soma