Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-03-08
WAGES ARE RAISED,
The Trade Bulletins Show GFa6u-
al Advance All Along
the Line.

New York, March 1.-The business
for the last month was the greatest ever
known in February. clearinghouse OK
changes were about $7,OOO,OOaOOO
against $5,567 ,553, S44 last year, and "a. .
larger than in 1892
In all the years of weekly CONNER
caI reporting there has been no other
week Ill which the reports from all parts
of the country have been on the whole so
good as they are this week. Moreover,
during the last week there has been Il
general advance in wages, immediate Or
prospective At most points the advance
Of 10 per cent. or more was entirely vol
untary. 1t has averaged ) to 10 per cent.
III tnrlate works and about 10 per cent.
III other cases, and as it affects much
over 100000 hands 1t will add greatly to
the purchasing tower of wage earners."
Iron aud Steel again Higher.
After this general review of present
business conditions r. q. Dun & CO. :
Weekly Review of Trade continues:
The return of failures in February while
showing larger liabilities than in January
= highly encouraging rather unusual
number of large failures in scattered branch
eS OF manufacture, including one concern
for Sl,0oO,0 GEO IN electrical apparatus has
SWelled the aggregate. but in nearly all
branches the statement indicates d re
narkabfy healthy condition in spite of these
failures while i'll trading the defaulted liu-
bilities are smaller than in January or any
previous winter month for six years.
In prices the striking feature has been
the rapid advance in iron and steel prod
ucts resulting from demand greater than
the works III the country can supply. All
the works of Importance have been crowd
ed with orders running to July and later
Belated buyers have given life to concerns
long Inactive. and as these can add hut
markets Dppn
entirely controlled by the buying demand.
All sorts of prices have been paid some for
early delivery and some for delivery after
July /, but $3.50 is quoted for beSSemer pig
at pittsburg $3.50 for grey forge, and at
the East :S14.25 is quoted for anthracite No.
Prices of finished products have also been
advanced 50 per ton for Eastern and West
ern bars, plates and structural forms, and
So for wire nails The demand has not vet
been checked and some heavy orders have
been taken at all points, even ut the highest
prices named. but the export business is
likely to be stopped for the present.
Heavy Demand for Grain.
Holders of wheat have been looking for
the report Of the agricultural department re-
garding stocks held by farmers March l.,
but commercial reports indicate that such
are the largest ever held at this date. The
reports have for support the Western re
eclptS from farmers, which have been larger
than for past years i'll February-for four
weeks 125T1.000 bushels. against 10.004. 600
for four weeks u, 500, 1876 bushels. against
9,SIS,636 last wear. The Pacific exports
have been 6O5,737 bushels for the week,
against 64.993 last year, and from other
ports 1S7. 500 bushels have been shipped dur
ing the last week. Rarely if ever has there
been great a demand for grain at this
season as ;noW appears. but the price has
yielded IA cents for the week, al hOugh
corn has advanced u cent for spot, The re
ceipts having fallen.
The textile industries. are making progress
There has been Il strong increase i'll the
demand for cotton goods. resulting in
further advances in the prices for some,
while in wooden goods Il slight advance APP
pears Notwithstanding Il decline in the
prices Of wool during February. The de-
cline has mot been general in wool. nor has
the advance in goods. The heavy weight
season has been disappointing, and the
manufacturers are willing to get on for the
time as best they can, in the hope that
larger demand will come from the cIothierS
Il little later.
Failures for the week have been 1876 in
the United States, against 2J1 last year,
and forty in Canada, against thirty
Two last year.
AS Viewed by 3radstreet.s.
Bra dstreetss says:
An enlarged volume of spring trade par
ficularly i'll dry goods, due to spring wealth
,er: special strength iii the demand and
price for cotton fabrics: an immense and
urgent call at soaring plices for iron and
steel and all it's products, and substantial
advances in wages, chiefly affecting the
Z,
at conservative calculation. 100000 Oper-
atives, among features Of the week go
ing to show that the producing elements
of the Gountry'S population sharing in
the present favorable conditions. An en-
uraging feature lis the small number of
strikes for higher wages reported, partly
owing to advances being already conceded
as a result of sliding scale agreements, the
only important labor troubles being report
ed i'll the Goal4mining industry in the South
west.
Wheat including flour, shipments for the
week aggregate 5,S15,585 bushels, against
49, in 1891 '2.4O7 679 in 1896, and 3272,-
022 in 1895. Since July I, this season the
exports of wheat aggregate 16S, ~, 934 bush
els. against 164 49, 753 last year.
Corn exports for the week aggregate o.
T94. S63 bushels, against 2,S71!037 last week,
5.O54, 694 a year ago, 5,255.7S5 IN 1897, .
O49 in 1896, and 49S, 5GS in 1890. Since
July l, this season, corn exports aggregate
1856, 401 bushels, against lis, $40, 139 a
year ago.