The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-12-09
MONTH OPENED
AUSPICI0USLY
Demand Treads Close Upon and Even
Passes Supply.
WIDESPREAD ADVANCE IN WAGES
The Strength OF Cereals. Notably OF
Wheat. j. a Reelection, Largely
of Decreased Receipts At
the NOrthwes


NEW YORK Dec. S.-Bradstreets to.
morrow nnl says
The last month of the year has opened
ausp.ciousiy finding trade and industry
generally Wei employed. demand ueading
close upon and even passing supply; labor
troubles ayerted iu some instances by
widespread advance Duo wages of small I'M
louaule. except n one or TWO cities and
with the general level of values OF staples
ar ihe highest point reached for eight
years past
Holiday demand has opened wei and
collections from retail trades therefore,
show some Improvement.
THE strength of cereals. notably wheat
this week is reelection largely OF de-
creased receipts ar tls Northwest In
or,ascs in November tl.s year were nof As
large either in This country or abroad as
they were Our year ago. and 90 this eNtent
the outlook Is less hcarIsh. and ON account
%. tie smaller worlds production ms
years hopes of Wei maintained prices
have not been abandoned.
Cotton has lost some OF the notable
strength displayed in past weeks. OWING
chiefly to portion Of tie speculative eie-
meat becoming tired and selling finely ON
si.htly increased receipts. Toward the
close some strength was noticeable on
improved foreign buying and the net
change lOr the week u npt serious.
IRON AND STEEL
After a year of Unprecedented a',Nl'N
and advancing prices hon ana o.tel aif'
quiet with feW Significant changes, p''"l
bacause the season 0f the year does ""l
favor new work and partly also on ae-
count of lie fact chat products are very
t,ar. Prices show ro marked change
plates and sheets being relatively "eth-
tst among the nri he'd products. while
bars are srrOng.
Copper shows little change. but un is
lower again. affecting decreasing -pr'"i'-
tive interest and smaller COnsumpilfe "'-
maud.
Activity I'm hardware is largely conhned
10 holiday -peciaities when are tAP'i
iug am active movement at most maihe''-
The feature Of the coal trade mas bt"i
the Increasing scarcity Of biuminous
grades. some markets being reporter
ticauy bare Of supplies.
The strength of wool is apparently UNI
impaired. though the demand Is quelei-
London prices have again moved hlsneF
and the small available supply or me
grades supports the belief that prices
may SIN move upward. The granting OF
, a. nor rent advance N nearly all the
large cotton mills throughout New Eng
land on the basis ~ census figures would
point 10 an increasing purchasing power
being secured by nearly 10000 people.
The coffee trade OF the country but
particularly I'm New York has been asi-
tated and speculation has been affected
bv the delays growing from the unset
tled situation OF the quafautined ctisoeS
from santos More seasonable weather
conditions have further stimulated the de-
mand for boots and shoes 't mum Ior
p0.nts. and hides and leather regain an
the strength gained as "a result Ok l'7'
months general rIs,.
LUMBER ACTIVE.
%,fUltbstandirg emo adfnc stage OK
the season mmb.r h.-iNo'd particularly
continues in active demand In most mar
kets.
wheat Including Hour shipments for
the week aggregate 5la3.3l bushels asi'nSt
500. go bushels last week. 5'oN'*- Dush-
I'D b., tho corresponding week or lsss'
g 9es 1lq bushels ln 1897: f.222.Ui bushels In
1896 and 2Es323 bushels in 1888.
Since July Ist. this season. the exports
OF wheat aggregate sl31l ~ bushels
against lo3 Go.s9l bushels last year, ana
flL24.I9s bushels in 1878
Corn exports for the week aggregate
a.Si36o bushels against itil 54 bushels
last week. 4gSs.535 bushels I'm this week
YEAR ago. 8I25.5Jf bushels IN 1881 3,il2S
i'm 1896 and 2.3sl,lA I'm 1898.
Since July ist. this season. corn exports
aggregate 100 i0S.70l against % 95 ~ bush
e's during the same period year ago,
ana G. 81 sos bushels n 1878.
Business failures for the wek x. ~ m
the United states. as compared with Ia
, last week
business failures in Canada FOR the
week number 81, as compared with . last
week