The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-10
DUN'S TRADE REVIEW.
Several Big Strikes Retard Progress
in Building Circles.

in building Circles.
NEW YORK. March g-Dun's weekly
review tomorrow Will say: a certain hesi-
tation in business with shrinkage in its
volume is not unusual. aor unnatural. at
this season. 1t is not necessarily disheart-
ening. therefore, if business is no longer
as large in volume as ever, but falls be
hind that of February or January, or for
the corresponding week last year. IL OBJ
stacles in the way are soon removed, and
if prices are so adjusted as TO encourage
and not to prevent transactions, the meas
ure OF prosperity realized may again sur
pass all records
The obstacles are considerable. Strikes
in building trades or Of machinists and
others at Chicago affect many industries
and the wages Of fifty thousand hands.
The remarkable rise in cotton has appar-
emily met the expected reaction which
tends for the time to repress business.
few great corporations are striving to
hold prices without regard to present de-
mand, hoping that needs Of consumers
may prevent reaction and renew the rise
of last year. Wide differences Of opinion
also exist regarding the effects OF none
tary action by Congress.
Operations in stocks have been mod
crate with prices Of railroad issues singu
larly steady for the past five weeks, clos
ing but L cents per share lower than last
week Excellent earnings have supported,
the roads reporting for February having
gained 1S.6 per cent over last year. The
reduction Of dividend on Sugar stock. and
the appointment of receivers for another
combination. have not caused the general
slaughter Of industrial securities which
some expected, though these stocks close
H.
The output of iron furnaces March
1 was 2g3 642 tons weekly, against 29S.014
February l. and unsold stocks increased
35,516 tons in February. Temporary stop
page Of four furnaces near Pittsburg by
a strike and the reduction Of output BY
many furnaces in blast. have supported
prices OF pig and Of finished products.
The only change is a slight decline in
plates.
Cotton sold on Monday at s.Sl cents.
the highest point since January 10. 1898,
when the crop suddenly fell from 100000
to { 700 600 bales. A sharp reaction came
on Wednesday and the price dropped
three-sixeenths that day and closed
a quarter below the highest point. While
the demand for immediate use has held
goods strong. there has been for some
time small desire to make contracts
ahead.
Estimates Of wheat in farmers hands
March l. 1854 600 900 bushels. according to
the American Agriculturist. do not in
dictate a lack of supply this year. for with
a coo 600 bushels in visible stocks there
is in sight nearly as much as a year ago
when foreign demands were eXtraOr-
binary, and yet the crop year ended with
over 80 600 600 bushels in visible supply
This years net exports in seven months,
-four included, have been III ,221 S35 BUSH
els, against 149, $40, iO7 last year, and in
February enough to make about 125 000, 600
bushels, against 16S 900 600 last year with
no indication Of a future foreign demand
approaching that Of last year from March /
to July l. But Of late prices have been
very low and have advanced this week
nearly cents for spot and l cent for May
options.
London wool sales so long awaited by
spectators here to lift up prices again, /
opened with a severe decline Of ! 1-2d1O /
per cent causing such disappointment |.
that much selling is likely. The business /
in goods. though less active than has been /
expected. is at fairly steady prices as yet. /
In boots and shoes no change appears in !
quotations.
Failures for the week. POS in the
United States and 80 in Canada