The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-01
THE CONDITION OF TRADE
A Quiet Tone in Several Lines
of Business.
EDGE TAKEN OFF DEMAND
All Plans for Combination Have Failed
in the Glass Trade-A Return Of
Strength in Copper
and Lead.

| morrow will say: There is a quiet tone
in several lines of business this week in
| dependent of the reduction of the volume
of distributive demand, resulting from
continued unfavorable weather conditions
in large section of country The strength
of quotable values, however, fails to show
| that any material slackening of underly
ing movements has yet become apparent
in leading lines. Less is doing naturally
| in leading Eastern textile markets on the
| current seasons account. but an encour-
aging element is found in the readiness of
buyers to place orders for fall deliv-
| cry.
While leading Western markets note
| that the edge has been taken off the de-
mand, that bad roads and weather COM
| bined have retarded retail distribution and
| hence affected collections in some sec
tons. results of the first quarters trade
with wholesalers have been so good that
| their sanguine cheerfuness as to the out
look is especially notable.
Industrial conditions continue of a most
| 1attering character with advances in
wages still prominent feature in the
iron, steel, machinery and allied trades
In some lines of manufactures it is true,
has made some uncertainty. Notable in
this respect has been the glass trade, in
which, however, plans for combinations
seem to have temporarily failed of accom-
plishment.
Iron and steel are in less active demand
| at nearly all markets, but this in some
measure appears to be a result OF scantN
| stocks or possible supplies offering, and
| not so much of any curtailment of needs
| of small consumers.
| Large consumers, with supplies secured
| ahead, are reported waiting to test the
| strength of the sellers position on later
deliveries. Prices of material are firm,
| with some further advance at the West
| in rails.
| Copper and lead show some return of
| strength after the recent weakness. The
demand. though interfered with at retail,
| shows all the old strength of prices.
| Wheat. including flour. shipments for
the week aggregate 3,99S,23S bushels
against 3,746,7 61 bushels last week, $780,
i 664 bushels in the corresponding week of
1898, 2, 464 645 bushels in 1897, 1,693,927 BUSH
| els in 1896 and 2S53,933 bushels in 1895.
Since July this season the exports of
| wheat aggregate 1S4,960So0 bushels against
| $50 O67, 552 bushels last year.
| There is some shrnkage in the dry
| goods demand at New York. but there is
| reported a rather better outlook in wool
| en- goods Talk of combinations in the
| wooden manufacturing trade has softened
| wool quotations at Boston.
| Philadelphia reports steel plates nearly
| double the price they were when the pres
ent movement began, and the strength of
| quinine is not being impaired.
Bad weather is generally complained OF
| at the West as hurting distribution at re-
| tail but St. Louis reports little apparent
| damage to winter wheat and that large
| fAr nd Won't
generally are being placed
Spring trade at Chicago is the best
since 1892 and surpasses that year in
many lines. Tanners are preparing in
ventories, necessary to going into the
new combination and iron and steel are
still active, though with less sympathy
than heretofore.
of advices from California is still the fea-
ture.
Southern advices are fairly cheerful.
Wheat exports are reported liberal and
the outlook favors heavy future ship
| ments from that port Iron is firm at
| Birmingham, though there are reports of
immense future increases in the Southern
fields output.
Bank clearngs this week aggregate
81 ,901 ,357 600, a gain of less than per cent.
| over last week, but of 6S per cent. over
last year. while they are double those of
1894 1896 and 1887, and the gain over 1892
| is Y per cent.
| Past reports of prosperous trade cOndi-
tons find confirmation in. the smallest
number of failures for the first quarter re-
ported for II years past, while liabilities
are lighter than for u years preceding.
The total number of failures for the first
quarter of 1899 reported to Brad
streets, was 2,T9, q per cent. smaller
than last year, 81 per cent. less than in
| 1897 and IL per cent. smaller than in 1892.
while liabilities aggregated 1911, %, 65S, l3
| per cent. smaller than in 1858, 80 per cent.
| less than in 1896 and % per cent. smaller
| than in 1893. Increases in failures over Il
| year ago were noted in New England, due
mainly to a large number of embarrass-
ments in Massachusetts. but the only in
crease in liabilities in any group of states
is that noted in the far West.