The age-herald., 1900-09-22
BUSINESS STILL DISAPPOINTING BradStreet'S Review Does Not Present Pleasing Outlook lRREGULARITY IN TRADE Situation Seems to Hinge on Settle- ment of the Different Wage Scales
 The Business Failures
 Show Slight Increase

New York, September H.-Bradstreets tomorrow will say
 The unfayorable turn given the general industrial situation by the strike of anthra- cite coal miners and the possibility Of wage disputes in the iron trade with rath- CT less activity in the latter industry and some increase of weakness in the prices of cruder forms have given an appearance business situation. On the other hand, the course of staple prices has been very gen. erally upward this week, falling distribu- tion of dry goods, clothing, hats and mil inery has been of large volume at nearly all markets; there Is decidedly better tone noted in the boot and shoe and kindred trades and the strength of cotton goods though apparently in excess of the busi- ness shown by the raw material has been regarded as indicative of confidence on the part of the manufacturers.
 Premature opening, due to dry, hot weather is responsible for portion of the heavy movement of cotton to market, but back of this, of course, Is the desire to profit by the exceedingly good prices rul- ing. The rush of receipts has been too much for the bull movement, however, and the price Is materially lower on the week.
 Raw cotton and cotton goods have parted company as to prices this week. The rush Of buyers to secure stocks has advanced print cloths, ginghams, bleached cloths and, in fact, nearly all classes of cottons, while materially reducing stocks in hands of commission men and jobbers. Most manufacturers are refusing to take orders ahead, except "at value based upon the cost of raw material.
 A little more Is reported doing In raw wool but it is mostly to supply current needs to manufacturers The spring busi- ness in mems woolens is still disappointing. Reports of damage to grain In shock In the northwest, reinforced by Northwestern buy ing at Chicago, furnished the key to the advance Of nearly cents in wheat this week, followed by a gain of 20 to 65 cents in flour and 1A cents In corn. Some of this advance In wheat was afterward lost in realizing. Other farm products were higher, pork and lard advancing on better export business, and butter and cheese on im- proved weather. Iron and steel are rather quiet as a whole, and some weakness Is noted in southern pig and steel billets at Pittsburg Finished products, however, are, as rule, firm, and bars are to be advanced s1 at Chicago. Export inquiry continues good but the high ocean rates renders the outlook uncertain. In the meanwhile Amer ican bars and plates are underselling Brit ish and Scotch goods at the latter points of production.
 The next week will probably see final &C., ton taken as to the remaining wage scale, to which depressing reports are cur rent.
 Wheat, including flour. shipments for the week aggregate 3.535S57 bushels, against A. 63O, ,765 bushels In the corresponding week of 1S99 From July 1 to date this season wheat exports are 3S5I9,dSO. against iO.6to.ooj last season. Corn exports for the week are 2,314 205, against 3,796,965 last year.
 Business failures for the week in the Uni- ted States number 1s3, as against 167 last week, 147 in this week year ago, 1S2 in 1898, 237 in 1897, and 321 in 1896.