The Portland daily press., 1900-09-22

Bad Turn Given by Anthracite
Coal Strike.
Course of Staple Prices Has Been cene,.-
ally Upward.

New York, September -Bradstreet.s
tomorrow will say: The unravorah1e
.Vurn given the general Industrial situa-
Oion by the strike of anthracite co.,
miners, and the possibility of wage dis
pute In the iron trade with rather les
activity In the latter Industry. and son, !
increase OF weakness in the prices ox
crudeT forms, have'gi an annearan~.-
OF lrreguiarity to the general trade am
business situation. On the other hand
The course of staple prices has been ve,~r~
seneraily upward this week, fall distribss
non OF dry goods, clothing, hats and mill
iinery mas been of largesvolume at near1x
All markets; there is a decidedly better
Tone noted In the boot and shoe and kin
ureu trades, and the strength of cotton,
goods though apparently in excess of that
SHOWN by the raw material, has been re-
garded as indicative OF confidence on thu
part OF the manufacturers. Bank clea.~-
lngs reflect the expansion of all trade Ia
a further gain in volume, but the stae--
nant condition of speculation, particuIar--
~ IN stocks, ,precludes any. Important oas-
over recent years. Gross railway earr,-
lngs continue to show gains over last an
tumn's heavy business, but net returns
point to much of this being used up IN
increased cost of operating.
Premature opening due to hot dry
weather is responsible for a portionzof the
heavy moVement-of cotton to market I,xz+
back of this OF course, is the desire tn
profit by the exceedingly good priceszru1
ing. The rush of buyers to secure stock
has advanced print cloths, gingharns-
bleached goods, prints and in fact nearly
all Glasses of cottons, while materially re-
ducing stocks In hands of commiss5on
men and jobbers.
Reports OF damage to grain in shock IN
the northwest, reinforced by northves-
tern buying at Chicago, furnished the
key to the advance OF nearly two cents IN
wheat this week, followed by a gain of
20 to % in flour and of ii in corn. Some
OF this advance in wheat was afterward
lost IN realizing Other farm produ cts
were higher. The advance in cotton
goods and the seasonable weather are "a
hected in continued good buying of dry
goods at western centers.
Good reports come from the Pacific
coast. Southern trade advices still show
the good effects OF the present high cotton
prices.
IWo-thirds Of the anthracite coal min
ers and OF the anthracite production are
reported idle owing to the strike for h1r-h-
er wages. Retail coal prices have scared
before the spinch in supplies has actually
arrived. The coming week VIII probably
decide the conflict and d-thes general feeling
is that the strike viii not be a PROLONGED
one. Bank clearings aggregate 81, 1863. -
55l, l73 gain Of three per cent over last
week. but decrease of "a per cent from
year ago. Business failures for the
week mum Der 1S3 assagainst 1877 last week
l41 in this week year ago.
Wheat, including our shipments for the
week, aggregate 3, 535, ,S57 bushels, agaz1 1ast
4, ,6e5, 9S2 bushels last week and 63O. 765
bushels in the corresponding week OF 1898
Corn exports for the week aggreCa be
2,134, ,205 bushels against 2, ,4O2, 7S6 bushels
last week and 3 794, 800 bushels in this
week a year ago.
Seasonable trade activity is noted IN
Canada. Montreal reports business fairly
active and prices well maintained. Cool
weather has helped Toronto trade. Can
adian cotton goods have been again al
vanced and the Ontario grain, lum Der,
cattle, dairy and export trades ara In
great shape. Manitoba reports, however,
are unfavorable. In the meantime prov
inces retail trade has been stimulated.
Trade IS quiet and collections sloH IN
British Columbia. Bank clearings Tor
the week aggregate $31, 743, O76, gain Of
1 8 per cent over last week, but a decrease
of SO per cent from last year.
Failures for the week number 21- as
against "a last week, IS in this week a
year ago, 10 in 1885, 80 IN 1897 and 81 in
1896. 8 -.