The age-herald., 1900-09-15
GENERAL REVIEW
 OF WEEKLY TRADE Storm Caused Reduction of Vol- ume of Southern Business. INFLUENCE OF THE STRIKE Cotton Goods Respond to the Advance in Raw Materials Recovery Not
 ed in Iron and Steel Market.
 General Tone Healthy
INFLUENCE OF THE STRIKE

New York, September 14.-R. G. Dun & Company's weekly review of trade tomor- row will say:
 The tropical storm that devastated the gulf coast, almost wiping out the city of Galveston, and doing damage in other parts of the country, caused a reduction In the volume of business in the south, and the railroads in the gulf region, probably not shown their maximum losses of earnings as yet
 An added cause of hesitation in business is the order for strike of anthracite coal miners. Otherwise the working force has in- creased this week, for operations are suming at steel mills and the Michigan Peninsular Car Plant and the Deering Har- vester Works have started up, after seven weeks idleness. with SOOO hands each. From many quarters of the west and southwest, a better distribution of merchandise is re- ported in jobbing and retail circles.
 The weather has continued favorable for the maturing corn crop, with cutting prog ressing and the crop generally beyond dan ger, but damage to cotton by the storm Is still an unknown quantity. Prices of staple commodities are higher for the week, hoist ed by the sharp rise in cotton, but in man. ufactured products there is little change, though steady increases Of business at the current level Is satisfactory.
 Cotton closed last week at the highest price in ten years, and large short inter- est was awaiting reaction Instead there came news of the disaster in Texas and sensational reports that a million bales had been destroyed. At the New York Exchange trading was far in excess of all previous records and prices rose by bounds. Subse- quently there were less exaggerated reports from the south. but the market failed to responG. and midding uplands advanced to Il cents.
 The price in the raw material caused sharp advance in cotton goods In one week standard brown sllee tings rom 5.61 to cents, wide bleached sheetng from 20 to 21, standard brown drills from 567 to 5S7, and staple ginghams from to 5.50 cents. Buyers who have been delaying for weeks are anxious to secure liberal supplies, both Inland and distant. Stock in first hands were cleaned up, and sellers generally with drew from the market. Wheat rose above s cents again, in the face of receipts for the crop year thus far, S,2oi,5J bushels larger than last year, while exports decreased 10,- z51,S7S bushels, including flour. Reports of heavy rains in some sections and injury to the crop, with better inquiries by foreign houses, explain the advance
 More orders are DelnS received at iron mills and prices are steady. In structural and finished material there is much busi- ness, and activity is becoming almost uni versal in the iron region. Steel rails are waiting for the agreement to prices, which is expected to be reached next week. reduction in keeping with other steel products Is considered certain, and then the market will be on settled basis. Some larger makers favor $27 50 the new ba- sis, and believe that nearly two million tons will be ordered at that figure. Ship ping was never more active, and feature was contract for @ coal pier to be used in the export trade.
 Boots and shoes begin to recover after many weeks of ideness throughout New England. Orders are coming freely, and a return to a normal condition is in pros pect Last weeks shipments from Boston were only 67,142 cases, which is the small est amount since the decline began, but increase in purchasing promises early gain in forwardings. Conditions are similar in the wool market, where sales last week aggregated 2,643,OOO pounds, against 12,O56,- 500 a year ago. Prices do not tall as might be expected in such a dull season.
 Failures for the week were 195 in the United States, against 149 last year, and 30 in the Dominion of Canada, against 92 last year.