The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-14
many TRADE FAILURES
An Increase in Business Suspen-
sions for the First Quarter
Dun's Weekly Review Attributes
conditions Largely to the March
Record-SmaiIcr Figures lnN"iN"d
Than i'm Previous Years - Iron
Prices NieId-WbolesnIc Dealings

NEW YORK. April 13.-Duu' S weekly re-
view Of trade tomorrow viii say.
Failures in the first quarter Of 1900
were 2l6 greater than last year and IN
March 22S per cent greater SUCH M
crease might seem omiuous without the
details which reports by branches OF bust
ness give today. In FIVE years Of the past
six March failures have been above the
monthly average in machinery and lumber
manufacture and building. and three large
failures in machinery. with four in lumber
and building. besides others IN connecting
lines. make up great part OF the IN
crease this year. and suggest that build
ing may have been pushed too FAR iu lSs'.
Omtting the tweuty-three failures ior
500 OOO or more, the rest in March were
smaller in amount than in any previous
wear. and in average liabilities per failure
smaller than in any other year but one.
Iron furnaces in blast April ! produced
go 4S2 tons weekly. against 2s-.6ia Nareh
1. hut unsold stocks increased 22No tons.
With No. ] anthracite s. lower, renntA
bars 81 and steel plates Sll per ton lower
than in December. 10 can hardly De called
impossible for prices 80 yield, though many
are so firmly held. The boot and shoe in
dustry also falls behind in output and is
closing some works and running many
others part time. because prices are high
er than retailers yet seem ready TO pay.
a heavy wholesale business has been
done in dry goods but the question now
is whether distribution viii justify d. As
vet returns are not satisfactory Noolens
and worsteds are dull. with concessions
in fancies though staples are well sold up
and firm The material declines further,
averaging nearly half cent lower than
April J. There is the same uncertainty
in cotton goods as 10 retail distribution,
with quite as much doubt whether prices
will be maintained. though The material
has again been advanced a sixteenth in
speculation. But exports in March were
in values So. Cg615S. a gain over last year
Of S2l. SCI. Sg5. so rapidly has Europe sup
piled its needs.
This enormous gain made exports OF
the chief staples S1S.63LS33 greater in
value than in March Of last year, though
decreases occurred in other items
The exports OF wheat from both coasts
continue larger than last year. though
much OF the gain is at Pacific ports, not
directly affecting Atlantic supplies. In
spite OF ali reports Of exhaustion OF supply
and injury 10 growing wheat western re-
ceipts continue larger than last year. Corn
receipts also continue heavy.
Railroad earnings in March on United
States roads alone and about half the to-
tai mileage were So. 944 G9g. exceeding last
years BY 1873 per cent. The advance In
prices Of railroad stocks has carried the
average Of prices within 60 cents per share
of the highest point this year or last
which was the highest in seventeen years
Failures for the week have been ls3 IN
the United States. against Iss last year.
and Al in Canada. against p last year