Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-08-31
THE BUSINESS SITUATION.

r. G. Dun & Co. Is Review for d
week says:
Nothing is more eloquent than
facts. Actual payment through
principal clearing houses for the ws
were %. per cent larger than last yea
and 56.2 per cent larger than in
same week in 1892. For the mon
thus far the daily average of paymen
has been 1868 ger cent larger than
year, and 56.0 per cent larger than
1892. Tonnage from Chicago in TIL
weeks has been S0.7 per cent laisU
than last year, and TAG per cent lurs
than in 1892. 1t will not be Suggest
by anybody that such an astooishii
increase over the most prosperous
all past years except the last was
pected. Most people really regard
last years expansion as something
a freak. Nor is the difference in
amount of payments mainly due to-
in prices, for prices of several hundff
articles actually range lower now
the whole than in August, 1892
1T is a consumers business al
Perhaps never before have demands
actual use controlled business a
prices with so little speculation
anticipate higher markets. In facI
the rise in most articles has go7
farther than speculative opinions ha1
warranted. Practically all industry
are some months behind the requlil
ments for actual use, and in mai
much of the output Of next year
already sold.
Failures for the week have bsI
163 in. the United States, against y
last year, ana IL in Canada, against
last year.
Bradstreet's says. "Strength
prices and steadiness of demand 4
still the salient features of the tra1
situation. Iron, steel and other metal
most of the CEREALS. leather and collq
goods manifest upward tendencies as
prices. Other staples, with the y
ception of sugar and anthracite Goa
retain all their old firmness. Fall q
mand is expanding at most market
particularly good reports being receive
from the Northwest and that portion.
the corn growing country which tn
year seems likely to be notable for SUI
plus productions. Aggressive streng'
and firmness is noted in iron and stee
particularly at Central Western ma
kets. Consideration of next year
needs now seems to be the most prom
nent feature of the trade aside frG
complaints of slow deliveries on near
orders. Foremost In advancing
structural material, which has NOV
up So per ton, closely followed by SIC
billets, with an advance of 81, a.
steel rails and nearly all grades
pig iron, with smaller relative gan
Other metals show sympathe.I
strength. notable in this respect pell
tin and lead. Among the cereals vine
has been quite firm all the wee
partly owing TO whiting doTn,
Northwestern estimates, but also d
to steady demand for the cash artlC
alike on foreign and domestic accour
The relative scarcity of cash corn
responsible for the advance shown u
week in the face of o concededly lar
production. a,.. ,45s
2" A sudden cut in prices of retin
sugar has led to the impression u
the sugar war will be reopened in
its tieroeness. Additionally strc.
features in the general trade sitlatl
are the active demand for lumber
most markets at steady prices. and
hrmness in the higher grades Of WO
Notwithstanding less active buying
supporting feature in this latter ca
however, is the active demand report
HlilSa for mems and women's VT