Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-11
TRADE REVIEWS OF lHEWEEk
Best Assurance Of Good Business in Future
is Rise in Wages.
NEW BUYING DEMAND IS CREATED
Weather Affects the Iron und steel
Output-ENportS of Wheat DO
Not FnlI Hcipw Lust
Years Figures,

NEW YORK, March 1O.-R. G.. Dun &
Co.'S Weekly Review OF Trade win say to-
morrow:
BY far the best assurance Of good business
In the future is found in the general rise
Of wages. Tho general advance in earnings
of cotton mill operatives, in most cases 10
per cent; Of iron and steel workers, gener-
ally 10 per cent, and tinplate and sheet
workers, from b to 10 per cent, ana OF coal
miners in some large districts, about as
much, has set a pace which most establish
ments will follow which have reduced wages
in the last years of depression.
Those who fail to comprehend what such
a change may mean have only TO consider
that a tenth Increase In the wages of all
labor would put into the markets a new
buying demand in amount about three-duar-
tiers Of the entire value Of exports to all
countries. The volume of business shows no
signs OF decrease and for the first fun week
of March has been about 51.7 per cent
greater than in ,the same week of last year
and COS per ceIft greater than in 1922.
Most people would not expect the pro-
duCtiOn Of pig iron to be affected by the
weather. Yet in the Pittsburg district alone
the furnaces running are said to have pro-
duced 1900 tons per week less than their
January output, SO that the decrease in
weekly production OF all furnaces, 22S, l9l
tons March /, against, 237, $50 tons February
], does not mean anything more than bad
weather. The shrinkage of supplies of iron
in February, just when increased supplies
were expected and needed, contributed
much to the extraordinary advances in
prices, $50 in anthracite No. |. February
!, $3.50 in BessCmCr pig at Pittsburg and
S2.75 in grey forge. The unsold stocks we're
also reduced in February 46,413 tons, so that
the apparent CONSUMPTION was 977 $40 tons
in the short month. Nearly all the work
done, Of course, is at the comparatively
low prices made in the great contracts three
to four months ago, but the three works
still able to contract for early delivery are
charging what they please, and these quota
tons appear In the published statements.
In many cases 81 to 81 per ton premium
is paid for delivery within sixty days.
Plates are In especial demand and higher,
but in rails, cars and structural forms the
demand and prices are not yet much
changed. Tin Is firm at 1855 cents, with
consumption of $500 tons monthly, and
copper is scarce at 177j CENTS, with lead
lower at $3.50.
The demand for coke exceeds the exporting
capacity of the Connellsville region, but the
furnace being quoted at SLIGO and foundry
output has been 1856 tons for the week,
at 80 per ton.
The wooden manufacturers have been
hampered with doubts about the price of
wool. A big combination of worsted pro-
ducers has been formed, with several other
combinations proposed in goods Of other
kinds, but these do not encourage buying
and the season continues disappointing.
In wool markets sales are barely equal
to the ordinary consumption of the mills
dependent upon them, but prices are rather
weak. Cotton goods have been advanced
about 4 per cent during the last month and
are still rising, although the advance in
raw cotton has stopped.
Exports of wheat do not fall below last
years, as many have for some months eX-
pected, and the Atlantic exports, flour in
cluded, have been for the week 3,309, 092
bushels, against 2,S9O,S79 bushels last year
and Pacific exports 603, 1877 bushels. against
l ,2SO,6l6 bushels last year, with other eX-
ports Of 4O7,669 bushels.
Western receipts were 4,O71,O17 bushels,
against 2, 1925 lS bushels for the same week
last year and the output from the country
goes far to check apprehension as to the
deficiency of the crop. The price is about 2
cents lower for spot and corn is about / cent
lower, with western receipts 1859, 404 bush
elss, against 5,4S7, 203 bushels last year,
while exports have been for the same week
3,537,S S7 bushels, against 2,957,S51 bushels
last year.
Failures for the week have been 1872 for
the United States, against 24S last year,
and thirty-seven in Canada, against thirty
six last year.