The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-15

and injury to the crop, with better in
quiries by foreign houses, explain the
advance.
More orders are being received at
iron mills and prices are steady In
structural and finished material there
is much business and activity is becom-
ing almost universal in the iron region
Steel rails are waiting for the agree
ment as to prices, which is expected to
be reached next week A reduction in
keeping with other steel products is
considered certain, and then the market
will be on settled basis. Some large
makers favor $3.50 the new basis
and believe that nearly two million tons
would be ordered at that figure Ship
building was never more active, and a
feature was a contract for coal pier
to be used in the export trade
Boots and shoes begin to recover af-
ter many weeks of idle wheels through
out New England Orders are coming
forward freely and a return to normal
conditions is in prospect Last weeks
shipments from Boston were only 61,142
cases, which is the smallest amount
since the decline began, but increasing
purchases promise an early gain in
forwardings. Conditions are similar to
the wool market, where sales last week
aggregated 2.643, 600 pounds. against H.
056,500 pounds a year ago. Prices do not
fall as might be expected in such a dun
season.
the United States, against 149 last year.
and 80 in Canada, against 50 last year"
Bradstreet's will say today:
Expanding demand at advancing
prices in many lines of trade finds its
chief exemplar in the market for raw
cotton, which has witnessed the great
est excitement, heaviest trading and
largest gain in price for at least a
decade. Rarely, if ever, in the history of
the trade, as conducted on modern lines,
has the interest displayed in that prod
uct been greater, and the manufactur-
ing interests of the world find the Situa-
a
poets of large profits to producers are
stimulating all lines of southern trade
English spinners. who are reported very
generally short of supplies, are cOnSid-
ering drastic methods Of meeting the re-
quirements. In American cotton mar
kets the situation, from being buyers
market a short time ago, is now re-
versed, and sellers are in a position to
dictate terms.
so suddenly has the outlook, as view
ed by the trade generally, changed, how
ever, that manufacturers are unable or
unwilling to define their exact position,
or l. they accept new business, do so on
a distinct basis of cost of new supplies.
Maximum cotton crop estimaters of past
years are apparently panic stricken and
predict famine stocks for the end of the
year, even with reduced consumption
Most food prices are either firm or
higher on the week, wheat being ad-
vanced on better export demand and bad
weather at Northwest, proved by the low
grade of much of the receipts; corn is
in good demand, with Scant supplies of
old crop, and pork and lard sympathize
Herewith. Raw sugar is still scarce and
higher on the week and coffee is frac-
tionally higher. Among the few products
lower are butter and tea. Print cloths
are out of the market at old prices and
southern cotton yarns have advanced.
Wool is stin rather weak and the de-
mand for spring weight mems wear
goods is still disappointing.
THE predicted anthracite coal miners
strike is almost the only unfavorable
feature of the Industrial union
The iron and steel situation has not
materially changed and irregularity in
demand and prices is still a feature
Rather more talk is heard of the inf1u-
ence Of election uncertainties upon flu
ture trade and certainly some additional
weakness is told at leading pig iron mar
kets, while on the other hand, finished
material is rather more firmly held Ex-
ampleS of this are afforded in the weak
er tone of pig iron at Philadelphia and |
Birmingham and in the placing of Bes-
semer pig on a S14 basis at Pittsburg
on the other hand, some large sales of |
pig are noted at Chicago at so cents adj
vance and $4,000 tons Of plates have been
placed at that city at firmer rates, while |
bars are active and higher. Wire pro-
ducts are reported well cleaned up and |
stocks are light More is doing in bars
at other western points. Hardware is in |
good demand and a good fall business is |
likely. The outlook as to steel rail !
prices is unsettled, but lower quotations
are looked for