The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-28
GENERAL CONDITIONS ARE SOUND.
Business Good, Tkough Some Lines
Show Modified DEMAND and Prices.

NEW YORK. April H~.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say: evidences of the fact
hat there are now two sides to the gen.
eral trade situation, where, for a year
past. there was but one, come to sight
Zach week. Different sections of the coun-
try and different lines of business return
differing reports. bur that the situation, as
a whole, is a favorable one and suffers
merely by comparison with the enormous
and almost feverish. activity of some time
ago is also evident. Excluding the great
speculative ~centers the aggregate of bust
ness is undoubtedly larger than a year ago,
and the business done even in several in
dustries reporting reduced activity would
seem a very large event to those bearishly
inclined had it not been for the enormous
aggregate done some time ago. Crop pros
poets. except in the wheat area. of the CEN
trail West and in some flooded sections of
the South, remain all that might be wished
for. Retail demand is improving, and
nothing of a definitely depressing charac-
ter has yet developed.
In the abrupt reacjustment of steel and
wire prices the iron and steel industries
received a notable shock. but have stood
the ordeal very WELL confirming earlier ad-
vices of the substantial and nonspecuIative
basis for the immense activity and greatly
advanced prices of the past year. The
possibilities of a renewed export trade In
pig iron have constituted one of the fore
most supports to that industry. Last
weeks report OF heavy sales of Southern
iron for export are amply confirmed, and
an enormously larger tonnage could be
placed If freight rates and room were ia
vorable.
Ono Of ~ $500 =.
dustries is that OF shoes. Manufacturers
are reported active, jobbers are busy, and
seasonable weather is inducing a good dis
tribution from retail hands. Paints, oils
while the strength of bituminous coal,
partly owing 10 the strike, but also to the
increased demand for this product. is SYM
pathetically reflected in the enlarged de-
mand for the steami grades Of anthracite.
In agricultural products the situation is
generally one of sustained strength. Some
slight shading in wheat prices is largely
the result OF the lettering winter wheat
crop prospects In the sections west of the
Mississippi. Spring wheat seeding is re-
ported almost completed in the Northwest,
much ahead of the average. Corn has
been quite strong, partly on continued good
with provisions, which are stronger, more
because of steady ~.consumptive require
ments than because of lighter receipts of
hogs. Wheat dncluding -four shipments
Tor the week aggregate 1858, S63 blu, against
3.S9S,451 last week. s.O2S. 4O3 in the CORE
spending week of 1879. and 4,449, 900 in 1898.
Since July l the exports of wheat aggre-
gated 16l, 4SS,410 bu, against 196. 290, 521 last
year and 1885, 35 in 1928. Corn exports
for the week aggregate $500, 664 bu, against
2.l5S, AZ last week, 2s615.079 in this week a
year ago. and 4.216.Og6 in 1898. Since July
l corn exports aggregated 16s. 702. O6O bu.
against 139. 662. S23 during the same period a
year ago, and Isl $40, g91 in 1928.
Failures for the week in the United
States are we'll down to the minimum,
numbering only Isl, an increase of twenty
one last week, but Two less thar in this
week a year ago ard comparing with 245
in this week of 1898.