The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-04
THE CONDITION or TRADE
An Immense and Urgent Call at
Soaring Prices.
SOME ADVANCES IN WAGES
An Active Demand for Spring Goods-A
Small Number OF Strikes-Ths
Building Trade outlook
Favorable.

New York, March 3.--Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say: An enlarged volume
of spring trade particularly in dry
goods, due to spring weather, special
strength in the demand and price for
cotton fabrics, an immense and urgent
| call at soaring prices for iron and steel
and all its products, and substantial ad-
| vances in wages, chiefly affecting the
| above mentioned industries and bene-
! fitting at conservative calculation 110.-
600 operatives, are among the features
| of the week, going to show that the
producing elements of the country's
population are sharing in the present
favorable conditions. From many citi-
zens East and West come reports of an
| active demand from jobbers for spring
dry goods. From the cotton manufac-
turing industry come reports; of activ-
ity inducing manufacturers to grant
advances to the operatives. while the
list of advances in prices of iron and
steel products is a virtual roll call of
that industry's products.
An encouraging feature is the small
number of strikes for higher wages re-
ported. partly owing to advances being
already conceded as a result of sliding
scale agreements, the only important
labor troubles being reported in the coal
industry. In the lumber trade the pro-
ducers seem likely also to reap long
delayed reward, as buyers became IA
miliar with the fact that available sup-
plies are well controlled, while the out
look for building trade activity Is fav-
orable. Our export trade in cereals IL
recovering from the check administered
by recent frigid and stormy weather.
but reports of damage to the winter
wheat crop on the one hand and esti-
mates of superabundant supplies of
old crop in farmers hands have about
balanced each other with a. slight adj
vantage as regards prices secured by
the bears. Prices generally, aside from
the exceptions noted, show few impor-
tant changes. Corn is slightly higher,
while oats are fractionally lower. The
movement of cotton at the South has
proved smaller than anticipated and the
current consumption is heavy both at
home and abroad; quotations are
slightly higher
Lead and copper continue the rett
rograde noted last week and coffee is
also lower. Talk of new combinations
in many lines of trade continues active.
but signs are not wanting that pro-
motors find it harder to place shares
of companies not widely known.
Business failures are down to the
minimum, numbering 1T for the week.
as against 220 last week, 1872 In this
week a year ago, 1852 in 1897, $40 in 1895
and 292 in 1895. Wheat. including -four,
shipments for the week aggregate
5,S15,5S5 bushels, against 3.S44359 BUSH
els last week, 3,252,0 bushels in the
corresponding week of 1898, 2.O75235
bushels in 1897, 2,4O7,679 bushels in 1895
and 3,272,527 bushels in 1895. Since July
/ this season the exports OF. wheat ag-
create 1853, 712,934 bushels against 1884,
456.753 bushels last year. Business fail
ures in the Dominion of Conada this
week number 81, as compared with SO
last week, 81 in this week a year ago,
81 in 1897, 66 in 1895 and So in 1895.