The sun., 1900-10-13
THE STATE OF TRADE.
Comment by Dun's Review on the
business of the Week.
PIG IRON PRODUCTION LESS.
Cotton Traders Disappointed When
Official Crop Report Appeared. as
Gloomy Anticipation Had
Raised Price IL Cents.

New York. Oct i2.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'s weekly review of trade says;
More sehsonahle weather had mpor
tant influence throughout the country,
but the coal strike continued as the re-
Strainng factor III business. AS specu-
lation everywhere is on a small scale the
effect is minimizcd. Lower prices re-
Gently for some iron products have been
without disturbing force, and the frmer
market for print cloths and strong quota
tions FOR lumber show that in some dil'ec-
TiOns III the great Industries Il small in
crease IN demand is capable of raising
prices. The situation still promises Il
recovery whcn politics and the strike are
settled.
Distribution Of merchandise nj the
west is still very active. The working
force i increasing steadily, and i'll rail
read and manufacturing circles i'll the
middle west scarcity Of labor is causing
uueasiness. Fear Of tight money has
4InGo ssttne men hpsitnte, but higher rates
result fs6la hr aeti1ity Of the movement
Of cotton II high prices in the SOUTH
The Ranl, Ut England las advanced It's
3iicc of gold To exporters ana hopes in
this wan to prevent serious loss to this
country without raising its discount rate.
German sales of securities to New York
are supposed to have boon paid for by
shipments Of gold from London, ami
Paris is trying to protect its gold stock.
Fig iron production has been further
reduced. according to The Iron Age On
Oct. weekly capacity of furnaces i'll
blast was 22}, 169 tons against 231,77S
Sept and 296.31j June l. Stocks at
furnaces continue to accumulate, gaining
36S41 tons in September \ gratifying
feature is the evidence that supplies in
consumers hands are low. Quotations
of iron products are steady. and foreign
buying continues, two contracts of inn
portance being placed. Pipemakers are
buying quantities of pig, while car and
ship builders are also urgent bidders for
material
Cotton Traders Disappointed.
Much disappointment was apparent
among cotton traders when the official
crop report appeared, for the nniicipa-
tion of gloomy report had put the p. ICE
up to II cents. When the statement in
dicated Il point improvement i'll Texas in
September prices dropped sharply
Wheat also declined without the aid Of Il
government report Domestic conditions
are generally satisfactory and foreign
in the face Of the decline in condition.
Foreign buying is small, Atlantic exports
in two weeks amounting to 4,s,ll.SlS
baShels against G.177,1tS last ycar
Shipments Of boots and shoes from
Boston ut the rate of SS,4ll eases week
IL mean the most active business since
April and approach the heavy forward
ngs of last year Improvement + @2ner-
al, with orders from all parts II the
country and frequent requests far imlle-
date shipment. These sigas thar 2NecS-
sive Accommodations have become dist.ib
uted are encouraging. Many New Eng
land shops are not working to full capac.
ity, but larger force is employed in this
industry than for many months
Leather Is sharing tine increased activ-
ity at the shops, and tile average pice Of
hides at Chicago advanced one-quar Q.
of a cent Sales of wool mt the three
chief eastern markets steadily increased,
reaching 3,94T.000 pounds, against 3,41I.-
255 the preceding week. There is NJ
such speculation as Il year ago, but the
sales 90 Immediately into mills. Prices
were not affected by lower figures ut the
London auction sale, which had been d.s-
counted.
After tcu.h'rg AZ money on call drop
ped back to = per cent. though > to 5E
was quoted for loans over election. The
banks would gladly see rates higher, but
:ye ai,:a:i@cd 10 t2d faadi offered here