The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-28
ONLY BY COMPARISON
Can the Trade Situation be
Called UnfavorabIe.
LOWER : PRICE TENDENCY
But Volume of Business Not
Less But Greater.

New York, April N.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say: Evidences OF the fact
that there are now two sides to the gen.
eraI trade situation, whereas for a year
past there was but one, come to sight
each week Different sections of the
country and lines Of business return dir
ferent reports. but that the situation as
a whole is a favorable one and suffers
merely by comparison with the enormous
and almost feverish activity of some time
ago, is also evident Excluding the
great speculative centere, the aggregate
of business is undoubtedly larger than a
year ago and the business done even In
several industrials reporting decreased
activity would seem very large to those
bearishly inclined had it not been for the
enormous am cunt done some time ago.
Crop prospects, except in the wheat area
of the central west and some flooded sec
tons of the south, remain all that might
be wished for. Retail demand is improv-
character has yet developed.
In the abrupt 1-eadjustment of steel and
wire prices the iron and steel industries
received a notable shock, but have stood
the ordeal very well, confirming earlier
advices of the su bstantial and non-specu-
lative basis for the immediate activity
and greatly adva need prices of the past
year. The possib Titles of a renewed ex-
port trade in pig iron have constituted
one Of the foremost supports of that in
dustry Last weeks reports of heavy
sales of southern iron for export are
amply confirmed, and an enormously
larger tonnage could be placed if freight
rates and room were more 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 weat her is inducing a good
distribution from retail hands. Paints,
oils and drugs are also in good distribu-
ton, while the strength of bituminous
coal. partly owing to the strike, but also
to the increased demand for this product,
is sympathetically reflected in the en-
larged demand for the steam grades of
anthracite, which are expected to be ad-
vanced on May l.
In agricultural products the situation Is
generally one Of sustained strength. Some
slight shading in wheat prices is largely
the result of the hattering winter wheat
crop propsects in the sections west of the
Mississippi Spring wheat seeding is re-
ported almost completed in the northwest
much ahead of the average. Corn has
been quite strong partly On the contin-
ued export demand and partly in sympa-
thy with provisions, which are stronger,
because of steady cOnsUmptive require
ments than because of lighter receipts
of hogs.
The sharp sFvance in prices of lumber
last year and the unsettled position of
the labor situation in the building trades
are jointly held responsible for the
rather disappointing business reported
this spring. Hamlock lumber is lower
and white pine is also weaker, but the
hard woods maintain much OF their old
strength Other lines reporting special
auietness are the wholesale dry goods
trades at the east, where retailers are re-
ported well supplied with goods; the jew
elry business, particularly the manufac-
turers, who report business rather dull,
and the grocery trades.
Wheat, including -four shipments for
the week aggregate 3,5S3,6S3 bushels,
| against S,S9S, 451 last week, 3,O2S 4O3 in the
corresponding week of 1899; 4,4490O9 in
1898; I155,SS6 in 1897, and 126O494 in 1896.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
| 1920 ga bushels, against 157747 last week,
| 2615,079 in this week a year ago, 4,216, 066
| bushels in 1898; 1861 465 in 1897, and 2,142,-
| 595 in 1896.
Failures for the week in the United
! States are well down to the minimum,
numbering only 1S2, an increase of 81
/ over last week but two less than in this
week year ago and comparing with 2l5
| in this week of 1898; 24i in 1897 and 25i in
1896. Canadian failures for the week
number IS as compared with 10 last
week. 81 in this week a year ago, 90 in
| 1898. 81 in 1897 and 26 in 1895.
DUN'S REVIEW OF TRADE.
New York. April 27.-R. C. Dun & Co.'S
weekly review of trade viii say tomor-
row: Gold begin to go abroad and prices
of iron products break sharply IN the
same week. Four months Of the new
year have passed and business does not
so expand as TO need the large increase
! OF circulation which the new monetary
bill has permitted. nor enough to sus-
| tain all the extraordinary advance in
prices last year. The abundance Of gold
and of currency and the large disburse-
/ by sr 7,
bonds have rendered rates for money
unusually low for the season here. while
rare industrial and speculative activity
in Europe, with the war in South Africa.
have tended to make money dearer
abroad. So new gold from Alaska ans
wers the loss OF supply from tn Trans
I