The age-herald., 1900-03-24
BRADSTREET'S
 WEEKLY REVIEW Few Irregularities Shown in the
 General Trade. SOUTHERN PIG IRON PRICES Large Lots Have Been Negotiated for at New York and Birmingham.
 Prices or Parity With
 Those Abroad.
SOUTHERN PIG IRON PRICES

Now York, March 23.-Bradstreets to- morrow will say:
 Some few irregularities are visible in the general trade and industrial situation the results of the workings of counter cur rents in various lines; but, taken as whole, the outlook retains most of the encouraging features noted for some time past Favorable reports as to retail dis trlbution and as to collections from south ern, western and northwestern markets were due to better weather. Continued good railroad returns, record- breaking mer- ehand1se exports from New York, with signs Of a resumption of heavy shipments of iron to Europe, and good wheat and fruit crop reports, excepting from the cen tra West are also features. An unfavor- able element is the predictions of a gen. eral strike of machinists, but 1t is pos sible that more than its proper weight has been given this threatened trouble. As offsets to this threatened trouble, might be cited the settlement of differences among the lake ore handlers, a vital point in the immense business looked for the coming spring and summer Advances in wages
  and of other workers allied to the iron and steel industry would seem to point to labor conditions retaining most of the fa yorable features whtcn have made them subjects of Favorable remark on the pres ent prosperity wave.
 Foreign demand seems likely to play most important part in the iron and steel industries, judging from the reports of ad vancing foreign markets and of increas- ing inquiries upon manufacturers.
 Some large lots of pig iron are being negotiated for at New York and at Bir- mlngham, Ala, and southern iron prices would appear to be on a parity with those abroad. Foundry irons, chiefly of low grade, are cheaper, but finished products note little if any onange. Anthracite coal reflects the advanced season in weaker quotations, but bltuminous sorts are in demand The famine in coal in Eurotoe seems to be growing more pronounced, but some rumored very large contracts for southern coal have yet to be placed
 Copper is in good demand and some large sales are reported for export, with prices slowly hardening.
 Staple values generally note light change
  CT. Sugar Is higher, mainly owing to the growing strength of raw material. Wheat and corn among the breadstuffs have been weaker, refecting another one of those short swings in price which have been such a feature of the former market, but also expected heavy shipments from the Argen- tine and good crop reports from the south and west. In the central west wheat crop advices are disappointing, complaint of winter killing more than offsetting the in- creased acreage
 The extent of the late advance in cotton discourages bul1sh activity but short sup plies abroad and small crop movement at home furnish little encouragement to the bears, and the market for that staple is about al a standstill as regards the price movement. Advices so far received would point to the retail trade opening well, par ticularly in the south, the northwest and the central west, except at the Lake cities. where the lateneSs of the season or unfa- vorable weather conditions have operated as a detriment.
 Wool remains one of the soft spots in the market and though a little more business has been done this week than last, conces- sions are easier to obtain and prices are quotably higher. Leather, the other hand, returns a better report than for some time past; quotations of hemlock are high CT, and business has been larger at several markets. Hides remain rather dull.
 Wheat, including flour shipments for the week, aggregate 2,903495 bushels, against ,45O bushels last week, 3746,l61 bushels in the corresponding week of 1899, 3,S96,9lS bushels in 1S9S 1,7i9,419 bushels in 1897 and 1,744 .S37 bushels in 1S96
 Since July l this season the exports of wheat aggregated 144,20,331 bushels, against 1S0,972502 bushels last year, and l16,5l6,SSS bushels in 1S97-9S.
 Corn exports for the week aggregated 3,l23,S4S bushels, against BPS, ,29 bushels last week, 3,699,629 bushels in this week year ago 4,496,257 bushels in 1893, 5,S626S7 bushels in 1897 and 1, ,727, ,965 bushels in 1S96 Since July this season corn exports ag- gregate 152 56797 bushels, against 125, l53,- 5S2 bushels during the same period year ago. and 131, ,926 bushels in 1S97-9S.
 Business failures in the United States for the week number 192, as compared with 130 last week and 1S2 in this week year ago.
 DUN'S REVIEW