The San Francisco call., 1899-04-01
RRApsTREET oN. .rRApE. .coNpITIoNs.

j. NEW YORK, March 31-Bradstraet's TO-
morrow Will say; There is a, Quleter tone in
several: lines of business this week :independ-.
eut Of the reduction in volume Of: distributive
demand resulting from continued unfavorable
weather conditions in a large section of. coun:
Try. The. strength OF quotAbfe Values how
ever falls. to- show that any. material slackenr
ing Of underlying movements. has las yet be-
come apparent In leading lines : ::
Less is doing naturally in leading. Eastern
textile markets on the. current season S ac-
count. hut an encouraging element. IS. found
in readiness Of buyers to place orders for fall
delivery. While leading Western markets note
that the edge has been taken of demand and
retarded retail distribution and hence affected
collections in some sections, results Of the
first quarters trade. with wholesalers have
been so good that their sanguine cheerfulness
as 10 the outlook is especially notable. In
dustrial conditions continue OF most fiat
terine character with advances in wages still
q prominent feature in the iron. steel. machin-
cry and Allied trades. In some lines Of manu-
featuring. IL Is true, talk OF projected pos
sible combinations has made for uncer-
tainty. Notable in this respect has been the
glass trade in which however plans for com
binations seemed TO have temporarily failed
OF accomplishment. Iron and steel are In less
active demaTm at nearly all markets, but this,
in some measure. appears to be result OF
scanty stocks or possible supplies offering and
not so much OF any curtailment OF needs OF
small consumers. Large consumers. with sup
plies secured ahead, are reported waiting 10
test the strength OF the sellers POSITION on
later deliveries Prices OF material firm
with some further advances the West in
rails Copper and lead show. some return Of
strength after the recent weakness. Lumber
demand. though interfered with at retail,
shows all the old strength OF prices.
Wheat. including flour. shipments for the
week aggregate 3.99 2SS bushels. against 3 =
746 76l bushels last week, $3.50. 66s bushels in
the corresponding week of 1888, 2,464 S45 bushels
in 1897: l. 6S3 S27 bushels in 1886 and 2S53, 9S3
bushels in 1895. Since July this season. the
exports OF wheat aggregate lS4. .960. 500 bushels,
against $50 CO.. 552 bushels last year.
There is some shrnkage IN the dry goods
demand at New York. bat there Is reported
& rather better outlook in woolen goods Talk
Of combinations in the wooen manufacturing
trade has softened wool quotations at Bos-
ton Philadelphia reports steel plates nearly
double the price when the present movemt nt
being impaired. Bad weather is generally
complained of at the West as hurting distri-
button at retail, but St. Louis reports little
apparent damage to winter wheat. and that
large orders FOR cars and railway equipment
generally are being placed. Spring trade at
Chicago is the best since 1892, and SurpasSes
that year in many lines. tanners are prepar-
ing inventories necessary To going into the
new combination and iron and steel are still
active, though with less snap than heretofore.
on the Pacific Coast the improved tone OF
hdVices from California is still the feature.
Southern ndvices are fairly cheerful. Wheat
exports are reported liberal and the outlook
fRvors heavy future shipments from that port.
Iron is firm al Birmingham, though there are
reports OF immense future increases in the
week aggregate $l.sOl. $4,000, gain of less