The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-08
CONFIDENT UNDERTONE
To Business in All Lines-Numerous
Idle Mills Have Again Started,
Hides Easier-Careals Looking Up.

Hides Easier-Cereals Looking Up.
NEW YORK, Dec. 7.-R. @. Dun &
Company's weekly review OF trade to-
morrow will say;
Business is progressing along con-
serVative lines. 1t Is without excite
ment and without great speculative ac-
tiVlty, but with n confident undertone,
which is TO be explained largely b. the
fact that leading concerns In most OF
the great industries have orders book
ed TO employ their machinery at nearly
full capacity during months when cur
ta!lment is usual. No net reduction In
Working force has appeared in the last
fortnight. and readjustment OF wage
schedules in some branches OF the
steel trade Is effected without trouble.
Prices Of commodities are generally
steady, and holiday trade Is brisk at all
points.
The south Is particularly cheerful,
with cotton firm and the rice crop COM
Ing In at very full prices. =.
There Is no cause for alarm In the
small volume Of new business at iron
and steel centers. With the first sign
Of higher prices there came forward
such n flood OF contracts that mills and
furnaces booked orders sufficient to
keep their full force employed for
months.
Many Idle Mills Resumed.
Hence. there has come more quiet
condition. with less bidding for pro-
ducts. Fortunately quotations were
not forced up unreasonably during the
weeks Of greatest activity. and now
there Is no sign of depression. On the
other hand. bars are more firmly held.
while many Idle mills have resumed In
this department, and sheet makers also
Insist on better terms. Other forms of
finished material are steady, and, at
most Pe;n's pig is unshaneee. attisusk
concessions are made for Bessemer at
Pittsburgh. Numerous bridges are
erected by the railroads. and heavy
tonnage Of structural steel Is taken.
Other railway supplies are in active de-
mand, with rolling stock urgently
sought. Business in iron is particularly
brisk at Chicago, with slight modern-
tion In domestic buying more attention
is given to exports.
Shoe Market Quiet.
Aside from further advance OF 2Ik
cents In mems kip boots. and Hrmness
in grain shoes. the market for foot
wear has qu.eted down, but with no
disposition to recede from the gener-
ally higher range established last week.
Makers have fewer new orders, how
ever, and heavy footwear has been
purchased from the seasons require
ments. The customary holiday demand
has not appeared, though retailers have
full lines OF fancy shoes and slippers.
There is n shortage in some grades of
hemlock sole. but II has ceased to ad-
vance. Hides are easier, especially for
country lines at Chicago. Even nfter
the decline Of the past two weeks the
average is above the closing prices of
October. Wool remains steady, and
sales are less than half last years.
Manufacturers purchase carefully, nnd
the goods market is unusually dull for
the season.
For the first time in many weeks the
cereals exhibited strength, and some
advance was to be expected after the
extensive decline. isI
Wheat Started Up.
Wheat was started upward by for-
eign markets and prompt response here
compelled covering OF contracts Noth-
ing of Importance was learned regard
Ing domestic conditions, aside from
heavy marketing at interior cities, rs
indicated by western receipts of $685..
402 bushels, against 3,9el,7S9 bushels in
the previous week, and 5.233,0l0 bush-
els a year ago. On the other hand.
exports at the Atlantic coast cities were
only 2,2li.40s bushels. against. 3,S5s,677
bushels in 1899. More strength was
shown by corn, which brought out re-
ceipts Of 1909 1865 bushels. against $780,
-772 bushels Inst year. but foreign buy
Ing was brisk. even at quotations seven
cents higher than. last year. Atlantic
exports for the week, aggregating6,S $780,
rs bushels. against S,705.273 bushels In
1899. Cotton was stubbornly held
above ten points. Many reports from
plantations suggested y crop larger
than prevailing estimates. and heavy
port receipts, also discourage hopes OF
higher prices. Traders impatiently
nvuit the government report.
Failures for the week were ?s1 in the
United States, against 2al last year and
Or In Cnrndn apnInSt 33 la ST wear,