Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-27
ALBEMARLE AND CHESAPEAKE
CANAL.
REVIEW OF TRADE.
A DECREASE OF BUSINESS II
MANUFACTURING CIRCLES.
tBy Telegraph to virglrlan-Pilot.)

(By Telegraph to Virgirtan- Pilot.)
New York. Jan. 26.-R. G.. Dun G.
Go. O. weekly review of trade will say
to-1i,orrow:
Ma news is not always good news.
New business for manufacturers this
year has been light in some branches,
and much below the production last
month. 1t is perhaps too often forgot
ten that industries start this year with
larger contracts ahead than ever be-
FORE and when half the work of the
whole year has been ordered i'll advance
there cannot continue quite the same
activity In new buying. The woollen
manufacturer has just opened q new
season with the largest transactions
ever known in n single week. it is said,
but in most other lines contracts pre-
viously booked would make similar ac-
tivity impossible. Yet there is seen
enough of hesitation, caused by adj
Vanccd prices, to make inactivity try
ing.
distribution to consumers through
out the country Is rapid and large, es-
pccially i'll quarters where it has been
feared retailers were over-buying, so
HAT there is strong confidence in the
futuTn, 1t could not be expected that
business Would adjust itself without
any embarrassmeiit-<t to such rise of
prices ms has occurred-,ERrly in De-
cember wool rose too high f3r. prices
then obtainable for woollen goods >and
weeks of dullness followed. :.
The boot and shoe manufactures is
receiving small orders as jobbers pay
the prices asked only for such limited
supplies as are needed for sorting, but
their urgency to receive goods hereto
fore ordered is marked, and shipments
from Boston have been 3S0,936 cases
in four weeks, about 4 per cent. more
than in 1898, and 16 per cent. more than
I'm 1895; with greater increase over every
other year. Leather is inactive and
slightly weaker in spite Of heavy ex
ports. and hides are yielding at Chicago
with accumulation of stocks.
Iron and steel prices have been yield
ing for several weeks, and are a shade
lower for products than at any other
time since the middle of September,
though bessemer pig and billets are
still so scarce and firmly held that only
two sales, amounting to 5000 tons, are
anywhere reported.
The cotton manufacturer meets but
moderate demand for goods, and ex-
tensive famine In India is expected to
reduce British sales in that country
while the addition of 963.3S4 spindles at
the South in 1899, reported by the Text
lie World, would imply q heavier in
sumption not by Northern mills.
Scarcity of water has curtailed the out
put for weeks past. and yet prices are
hardly held, with distant contracts. n
shade lower. Cotton has risen to 8
cents. although exports during the
month have been 274,0O0 bales smaller
than last year, receipts from planta-
lions having diminished about as much.
aiiddling uplands are now sold at
higher prices than has been quoted
since September, 1897. and are more
than 1h cents higher than at this time
last year.
Wheat advanced to 75M cents. with
clearer reason for such sharp ad-
vance. Western receipts are small, in
-FOUR weeks only 1O9S4,92S bushels
against 17,29O,257 last year, but the At
lantic exports have been only 7,737.474
bushels. -four included, against 17.037.
1858 last year. Pacific exports show q
light gain, amounting to 1911, 1856 BUSH
els Tor the same four weeks, against
s.ifS.24S last year, but this Is of no aid
TO Atlantic markets
exports Of corn show that American
1000 Is wanted abroad, having been in
-FOUR weeks 1S.4s2,792 bushels against
1z,s7o664 last year. Nevertheless. the
price or cash corn has declined about
three-quRrters of cent, although on
ton prices are about the same as at the
close of last week.
Failures for the week have been 2s1