The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-13
HESITATION IN
BUSINESS NOTED
Said to be Usual at This Time
of Year.
MONEY Is NOW EASIER
THERE Is A CONTINUING RISE
IN WAGES.
IRON PRODUCTION EXCEEDS DEMANDS
Textile Manufactures More Fully Employed
Than For Some Time. Trading Embar-
raised by Uncertainty About
the Prices.

New York. Jan. PR. G.. Dun &
Company's Weekly Review of Trade
will say in tomorrow's issue:
''Phe business of the new year be-
gins well. though there is still much of
the usual hesitation In branches where
last years business was extraordinary
and prices have risen greatly, some
pause is natural. though nothing indi-
Gates decrease of consuming disposition
or purchasing power, but there is CON
tinuing rise in wages to promote in
crease. Monetary conditions have
grown easier with the return of $1,000
000 from the interior during the week
and further deposits by the Treasury and
more liquidation in some speculative
stocks has also helped. Banks reporr
an increase in their percent of CONNER
cial leans and rates were generally
more easy after the decline announced
by European banks
The furnaces, in blast January 1st
were producing weekly 294, 1876 tons OF
pig iron against 296,959 December list.
but as several had stopped only for the
holidays and others had started, the
output now is probably larger than Il,
either date. 1t exceeds consumption at
last. as the Iron Age shows an increase
of 925G tons i'll unSold stocks, but the
manufacture apparently c0nsmes dur
ing the year 1881 .626 tons, less small
net exports in December. The Increase
since 1892 is about 1925, 900 tons or
46.5 per cent. Price changes scarcely
anything, nor was business significant.
THE minor metals are strong in tone.
but as yet without much change in
prices.
Textile manufactures are more fully
employed than for a long time. though
scarcity Of water has troubled some
cotton mills Trading is embarrassed
by uncertainty about prices. Wool is
not active. nor are spectators. or man
ufacturers in haste to buy at curren1
prices. though the market shows some
advances for the next season, with eX-
cellent trade thus far. The effect upon
the seasons sales cannot yet be judged.
Cotton goods have been quiet and no
longer advance i'll prices, as the market
for the material is uncertain in tone.
The boot and shoe manufacture has
n similar difficulty. for while shipments
are heavier than ever before at this
season. in two weeks 1886 cases
against 1lS.174 last year and 17,751
in 1898, as the rapid distribution 10
consumers causes some urgent calls for
goods previously ordered, vet dealers
are slow to order more in the fear that
prices will not hold Manufacturers in
sist that still further advances are need
ed to cover the cost of leather. The
sugar market is weaker with a lower
average than at any time since Novem-
Der LIST.
Cotton moves so slowly that belief in
short crop is constantly strengthened;
foreign stocks are also reduced. On
January 9TH on 6000,031 bales come i'm
to sight against S.001 .916 last year. but
exports had decreased 1,T25.000 bales
and European stocks were far below
last year. For the present foreigners
are using up old stocks instead of buy
ing more. and the price hesitates.
wheat has been slow to move. also
Atlantic exports in two weeks having
been only 4,376.514 bushels. -four in
Guided. against 9.432. JOG last year and
Pacific 1,312,993. against 1,524051
bushels last year. The prices close n
fraction higher.
Corn experts have also fallen below
last years. though the exports in two
weeks have been 1881 1888 bushels
against 7,199,913 last year and prices
have advanced about half cent.
Failures for the week have been 2T4
in the United States against 31S last
year and % III Canada against 24 last
year"