The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-28
TRADE SUFFERS
BY COMPARISON
With the Enormous Activity
of Recent Months.
hQHEQ IlAM VEAQ AGO
LARGER THAN YEAR AGO
Such is the Condition Excluding Great
Speculative Centres.
RETAIL DEMAND IS NOW IMPROVING
The Iron and Steel Industry Has Stood the
Shock of Abrupt Read justment of Prices
Very Well, Strength in Agri-
cultural Products.
cultural Products.
(By the Associated Press. }

New York. April 27.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say;
Evidences Of the fact that there are
now two sides to the general trade sit
uation where for a year past there was
but one, come to sight each week Diff
terent sections of the country and lines
CT business return differing report, but
that the situation as a whole is a ia
vOrable one and suffers merely by COM
parison with the enormous and almost fe-
verish activity OF some time ago is also
evident. Excluding the great speculative
centers the aggregate of business is I'M
doubtedly larger than a year ago. and the
business done even in several industries
reporting reduced activity would seem
large even to those bearshly inclined had
1t rot been for the enormous aggregate
done some short time ago. Crop pros
poets, except in the wheat area of the
Central West and in some flooded sections
CT the South, remain all that might be
wished for. Retail demand is improving,
and nothing of a definitely depressing
character has yet developed.
"In the abrupt readjustment of steel
and wire prices the iron and steel indus
try received a notable shock but has
stood the ordeal very we'll. confirming
earlier advices of the substantial and non
speculative basis for the immense activity
and greatly advanced prices of the past
year. The possibilities of a renewed ex-
port trade in pig iron have constituted
one of the foremost supports to that in
dustry. Last weeks reports of heavy
sales of Southern iron for export are
amply confirmed and an enormously lar
rD,1ld hp If oh
rates and room were favorable.
Hardware is in increased distribution
at the West, but rather quiet in Eastern
markets. Among other metals. copper is
firm, while tin is rather weaker.
"One of the most favorably situated in
dustries is that of shoes Manufacturers
are reported active. jobbers are busy, and
seasonable weather is inducing a good
distribution while the strength of bitumi-
nous coal partly owing to the strike, but
also to the increased demand for this
product, is sympathetically reflected in
the enlarged demand for the steam grades
of anthracite, which are expected to be
advanced on May LIST.
In agricultural products the situation
is generally one of sustained strength.
Some slight shading in wheat prices is
! largely the result of the fattering win
ter wheat crop prospects in the sections
west of the Mississippi. Spring wheat
seeding is reported almost completed in
the Northwest much ahead of the aver
age Corn has been quite strong, partly
on continued good export demand and
partly in sympathy with provisions which
are stronger, more because of steady
consumptive requirements than because
Of lighter receipts in hogs.
THE sharp advance in prices of lumber
last year and the unsettled position of
the labor situation in the building trades
are Jointly held responsible for the rath-
err disappointing business reported this
spring Hemlock lumber is lower. and
white pine is also weaker, but the hard
woods maintain much Of their old
strength. Other lines reporting special
quietness are the wholesale dry goods
trades at the East, where retailers are re-
ported well supplied with goods the
jewelry business, particularly the manu-
factureres who report business rather
dull. and the grocery trades.
Wheat, including flour. shipments for
the week aggregate 3,6S3,S63 bushels,
against 1898, 451 bushels last week g.
OPS, 403 bushels in the corresponding week
of 1899: 4449 ,009 bushels in 1898, / 155, $50
bushels in 1897 and 1.260494 bushels in
1896. Since July LIST this season the ex-
ports Of wheat aggregate 161, ASS, 410 BUSH
els. against 1876, 800. 521 bushels last year
and 1915, 592, 636 bushels in 1891-'9S
Corn exports for the week aggregate
$500, 664 bushels, against 3.15S,7H bushels
last week, 2.615079 bushels in this week
a year ago; 4,216,066 bushels in 1896; g.
657, 465 bushels in 1897 and 2,142, 595 BUSH
els in 1896. Since July 1st this season
corn exports aggregate 1863, 702, $50 bushels
against 1879, 622, 1923 bushels during the
same period a year ago and 151349,39l
bushels in 1S97'9S.
Failures for the week in the United
States are we'll down to the minimum
numbering only 1872. an increase of q
over last week, but two less than in this
week a year ago. and comparing with 245
in this week of 1898; 244 in 1897 and 254
in 1896
Canadian failures for the week number
49, as compared with 10 last week. q in
this week year ago, p in 1898, 81 in
1897 and IS in 1885,
TOTAL BANK CLEARINGS.
New York, April 27.-Total bank clear
ings at principal cities of the United
States for the week ending April 26th
were 81, 1872, 446, 4CS, a decrease of 40 per
cent.
Outside of New York city $647,935, 67s,
an increase of 5.S per cent.
pprcr M,CoRMTCK 81 CO'S LITTER