The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-17

New York. April is.-Bradstreets to-
morrow viii say:
Backward spring weather conditions
have figured considerably in distrsbu-
tive trade reports this week. and. in
connection with some weakness in
prices Of leading staples. have impart-
ed an appearance ~ ~irregularity to TIE
general situation
Another one Of those downward
swing in the prices Of agricultural
staples is exhibited this week iI slight
ly lowered prices for the cereals. part
" because of the bearish position NJ
immediate supplies and partly because
OF the better report than expected from
the government crop report. which =
taken to indicate a possible winter
wheat yield in excess or all records
The crop outlook as a whole favors the
expectation of large yields Of wheat.
corr and cotton.
Corn and oats have sympathiZed with
with the reaction in pork
which reaction. however. has not been
universal. as shown by h fact that
lard is at the highest point reached on
the present boom.
Cotton exports in March were three
times those of a year < In value. and
for seven months are : per cent. great
or in value. while % per cent. smaller
in quantity.
Evidences accumulate that active
missionary work in favor Of lower
prices for iron and steel is At last bear
ing fruit. Pig iron is no lower. and
stocks, rs a whole. are claimed u be
no larger than a month agb. but steel
products have noticeably
during the week, billets noting the
A-.-- nAl;n N-Esh n ~
decreases in some products The
other metals show little change on the
week, copper being in continued good
demand and firm. while tin il specuia-
lively weaker. and lead Is strong at
previous prices. The hardware trade
returns good reports as a whole. the
relatively best advices coming from
western d~istributive centres.
A slight upward swing in cotton Is
to be noted this week and southern
mills have officially advanced prices.
On the other hand. while the mills are
active on old orders, new business IL
reported of smaller volume.
Some more inquiry is noted IN raw
wool. without. however. affecting
values a~ppreciably.
The strength OF raw is a re-
fiection chiefly OF the fact that a con-
siderable shortage is looked for in the
supplies of cane sugar. not only in
tupd. buI III IA 1dl taSA- IA thN% a.
between raw and refined allows OF no
profit at present quotations.
Anthracite coal is rather weak at the
decline shown from the winter list
price. but bituminous is strong and ac-
tive. particularly on foreign account
Wheat. including flour. shipments
for the week aggregate 2.S96. 652 bush
els. against 1886. 963 bushels last week.
1855, 619 bushels in the corresponding
week OF 1899. 4.425. 1902 bushels IL 1898.
1.344. 012 bushels in 1897 and 2.0l1.579
bushels in 1896. Since July LIST. this
season. the exports of wheat aggre-
gate 153. 900, 900 bushels. against $780,
329. l59 bushels last year and 49, ~, $50
bushel in 1898.
Corn exports for the week eggreSat-
ed 2,799. 443 bushels, against 1861 -.
bushels last week. 1866. 125 bushels in
his week a year ago, 1861 1874 bushels
in 1888. 2.22S,4 ass bushels in 1897 and
1.014.542 bushels in 1896. Since July LIST
this season, corr exports aggregate
1f2. 922. $40 bushels against I33. g55, s04
bushels during the same period A year
ago and 143, 1e9. S43 bushels in 1878.
Business failures for the week num-
bor -. as compared with 1s2 in the
United States last week. 2+3 i'm this
week a year ago and 215 in 1898. la5 in
1897 and IA in 1896.