The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1900-11-16
TRADE REPORT.


New -Bradstreets report for
last week says:
There is a stronger tone in cotton
and WOOL the former largely because
Of reports OF fears of crop damage,
while the latter is firm at former quo
tations on volume of business equal
to lately enlarged totals. Cereals are,
as whole, dull and lack speculative
interest. Wheat is practically un-
changed, early reports of Argentine
crop damage failing to bring out much
buying. and the latter in turn Undue
ing realizing. Corn is only fraction
ally higher, while hog products are
rather slow and weak. 1t is from that
longtime barometer of trade, the iron
business, that relatively the best re-
ports as to demand and prices come.
While a considerable volume of bust
ness was displayed just previous to
election, the quantity of sales reported
since has been satisfactory. Chicago
reports the past weeks sales of $4,000
the largest of any week this year. A
similar report comes from Birming
ham, where 10000 tons are reported
placed within the past ten days, while
Pittsburg reports the sales of finished
material the heaviest since last spring.
similar report as to sales of pig iron
comes from Cincinnati. The iron sales
have been largely at an advance of so
to rs cents per ton, while bars and
structural material have either been
advanced or the makers are now hold
ing meetings to agree upon increases.
A large part of the business in cruder
forms is reported to have been on ex-
port account, despite the reports of fall
ing iron prices abroad and the high
freight rates. A heavy business has
been also done in rails at full prices,
but figures of quantities are withheld.
Some heavy sales of bridge material
and structural steel are reported at
New York. Hardware has moved rath-
er better of late. Other metals are
quieter except tin, which is slightly
higher after the late weakness.
Hopefulness as to improvement in
fall demand, now that the election is
over and cold weather has arrived, is
reported in all sections, but nowhere
is the feeling of confidence so marked
as in the south. Despite the recent de-
cline in cotton, the feeling in that sec
tion is notably cheerful. In the west
dry goods, clothing, shoes and hard
ware are moving better. On the Pacific
coast export trade with our new posses
sions and with Asia has been good.
California reports the large area plant
ed in grain helped by recent rains. Re-
fined sugar is almost alone among the
staples lower onbthe week by Is cents,
but this is mainly due to the decreased
prices of raw oVenlarged supply.
Wheat export e'%cluding flour, for
the week aggregate, S,555,5O7 bushels.
against 3,612,42 bushels last week
4,65O,642 bushels in the corresponding
week of 1899. 3,774,69 bushels in 1898,
5,445.542 bushels in 1897, and 1884
bushels in 1896. From July 1 to date
this season wheat exports are 67,412,-
OIL bushels. against 77,239,65S bushels
last season and 77,62O,216 bushels in
1S9S-99.
Failures for the week in the United
States number 161, against 165 last
week, 1872 in this week a year ago, 1877
in 1898. 27S in 1897 and 25S in 1896.
Canadian failures for the week number
II, against 16 last week, % in this
week a year ago, 80 in 1898, 93 in 1897
and A in 1896.