The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-01-27
GENERAL
DECLINE
in PRICES
In Most Articles, Though Much BUS
iuess is Contracted for in
Advance.
.lRONAND DSTEELPRICESYIELDFD
And Are a Shade Lower Than Since
September = Bssssmsr Pig and
Billets Firmly Held.

co.'s weekly Review of Trade viii say
tomorrow:
No news is not always good news.
New business for manufacturers this
year has been light In some branches
and much below the production last
month. 1t Is perhaps too often forgot-
ten that industrier start this year with
larger contracts ahead than ever be-
fore. and when half OF the work of the
whole year has been ordered in ad-
vance there cannot continue quite the
same activity In new buying.
The woolen manufacture has Just
opened a new season with the largest
transactions ever known in single
week, 1t is said, but in most other lines
contracts previously booked would
make similar activity impossible. Yet
there is seen enough of hesitation
caused by advanced prices to make in
activity trying. Distribution to con-
sumers throughout the country is rapid
and large, especially in quarters where
1t has been feared retailers were over
buying, so that there is strong conf
dence in the future.
It could not be expected that business
would adjust itself without any embar-
rassment to such rise Of prices as has
occurred. Early in December wool rose
too high for prices then obtnInablc for
woolen goods, and weeks of dullness
followed.
The boot and shoe manufacture Is re-
ceiving small orders. as jobbers pay the
prices asked only for such limited sup
plies as are needed for sorting. but
their urgency to receive goods hereto
fore ordered IS marked, and shipments
from Boston have been SsO,s6s cases in
four weeks. about four per cent more
than in 1898, and sixteen per cent. more
than in 1896, with greater increase over
every other year. Leather is inactive
and slightly weaker in spite OF heavy
exports, and hides are yielding at Chi
cago with accumulation OF stocks.
Iron and steel prices have been yield
ing for several weeks and are a shade
lower for products than at any other
time since the middle OF September,
though Bessemer pig and bIllets are
stIll so scarce and firmly held that only
two sales amounting to 5000 tons are
anywhere reported. Agreements to
hold the price of bars do not prevent
sales at Philadelphia for $9.O7t of iron
considered by buyers best refined. ac-
cording to the Iron Age, though sellers
call 1t common. and plates and sheets
are both irregular there, with narrow
plates sold at Plttsburg below fg.95.
Structural shapes are not quoted lower,
but the New York Central contract for
1900 tons of bridge material went to
the Pennsylvania, Pencoyd & Detroit
works, and two orders for 5000 tons OF
rails arc taken at Chicago. Last year
Il, $780, .7O3 tons of pig were produced. ac-
cordInS to the official record, the con-
sumption being 1ST74.727 tons.
In minor metals tin only has been ac-
tive, January options being quoted at
271sc.
The cotton manufacture meets but
moderate demand for goods, and the
extensive famine In India is expected
to reduce British sales in that country,
while the addition of S.sss,SS4 spindles
at the south in 1899 reported by the
Textile World. would imply a heavier
increase than has been supposed in con-
sumption, not by northern mills. Scar
city Of water has curtNlled the output
for weeks past. and yet prices are hard
" held, with distant contracts a shade
lower.
Cotton has risen to eight cents. Al
though exports during the month have
been $4,000 bales smaller than last
year, receipts from plantations having
diminished about as much. Mlddllng
uplands are now sold at higher price
than has been quoted since September,
1891, and are more than 1Mc. higher
than at this time last year.
Wheat has advanced to 7osc., with
no clear reason for such sharp adj
vance. Western receipts are small, in
four weeks only 1O,9sl,s2S bushels.
against 17.2sO,25T last year, but the At
lantic exports have been only 7,73741i
bushels, flour included, against 1IO5L-
SSs last year. Pacific exports show
little gain. amounting to s.Sil,9S6 bush
els for the same four weeks. against
2,l76.2iS last year, but this is of no aid
to Atlantic markets. Exports OF corn
still show that American food is wanted
abroad, having been in four weeks 49,
ls2.7s2 bushels. against 12,S7O,56i last
year. Nevertheless the price of cash
corn has declined about three-quArters
of n cent, although option prices are
about the same as at the close last
week.
Failures for the week have been 2Sl
In the United States, against 22' last
year. and IS in Canada, against IS last
year.