The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-22
DUNs WEEKLY STATEMENT.
The Uncertainty Regarding Coal
Checks the Volume of Business.

NEW YORK. Sept. 21.7+Dua's tomorrow
will say;
THE strike in the anthracite coal re-
gion, which has involved about 100000
miners and probably 10000 others. is the
overshadowng influence in business. Read
ing's coliieries are stlll in partial operation,
but coal at wholesale in New York Harbor
| is up to s4,e5 (. o. b. net for stove size,
or 60 cents above the official circular still
nominally in force None of the larger
companies will sell much at these prices,
and consumers in the East are paying
more than so per cent advance upon prices
asked fortnight ago. This conflict dis
turbs business AMI interferes with calcu-
lations of merchants over a large part OF
the Atlantic seaboard. and Is really the
only tangible check to the general recovery
which set in with the larger demand for
iron and steel products.
Outside of the anthracite industry en-
/ forced idleness of hands ia an exception,
and even in the Pennsylvania coal region
other employers would gladly take on
thousands of the more intelligent miners.
The Doscher Sugar Refinery closes down
on account of the scarcity OF raw sugar.
of which all refners are estimated to hold
only 10000 tons; but the Lorraine Steel
Company. idle three months. is starting
its furnaces with others to follow. Hest
tation incident to the Presidential cam
paign is reflected in bank clearings. which
for New York show 3S.S per cent and for
other leading cities rs per cent loss from
last year
Railroad stocks averaged on Thursday
S69.1l. a decline OF s153 per share from
last week. while trusts went off si.O2 per
share and traction stocks s3S5. Political
agitation was chiefly responsible for the
decline. offsetting numerous dividends an
nounced.
Wheat advanced sharply 10 SO cents on
Wednesday. helped by gloomy reports from
growing districts and free purchases at
Northwestern cities. Sensational gains in
price stopped foreign buying. which led to
heavy liquidation and reaction almost as
large as the previous movement
Cotton has felt the loss of consumption
declining heavily both In spot quotations
and option trading. Brighter crop news
from Texas also has a depressing effect.
The cotton goods market for a few days
continued the strong movement of last
week. but closed less excited. though bare
of goods at first hands. Sales OF wosl at the
three chief markets. were only 2.S17. 900
pounds. against u. f43 500 year ago. Hold
ers continue confident and dizziness fails to
cause lower prices.
In iron and steel products greater activ-
ity at former prices was the rule. New
contracts were for moderate amounts. but
large order for mallesble Bessemer pig
iron was placed at Piusburg. Reduction
in stocks of pig iron at Southern points
makes the outlook moe encouraging.
"A furthe'' hardenin !; in the money mar
ket has occurred. with a few large loans
on call this week under per cent and
with time money TO carry borrowers over
election higher at to IL per cent. The
sale of German bonds here will probably
not necessitate exports Of gold. and the
financing of-this operation was the occa-
sion of the strength of both sterling and
Continental exchange bills early in the
week.
Failures for the week were 211 in the
United States. against 154 last year, and
80 in Canada, against IS last year.