The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-06

Holidays Had but Little Eject
Prices Arc sfrenxtheufnr

Prices Are strengthenfug.
NEW YORK. Jan. 5-R. @. Dun & Co.'s
weekly review of trade will say tomorrow:
Failures In 1899 were 1888 in number. with
liabilities OF So, .s79. The last days OK
the year added a few to the number and
some millions TO the known liabilities OF
firms and banks which failed close to the
end. so that commercial defaults reached
ssO.S79,sS9. of which l64 were in manu-
featuring. s4S 92i.71 i'm trading and $l1.ls2.
954 in brokerage. promoting and other COM
mercial liabilities Most people in business
have been so occupied with the accounts
and the settlements OF the past year that
little new business has yet been done. No
new tendency in manufacture or in trad
ing appears. and less change than was
anticipated in the money markets.
There is nothing unsound in the bust
ness of the great industries, but an extern
sive revision of prices may disappoint ex-
treme expectations. Two ways of stimu-
lating business are adopted. The Iron Age
notices transactions of magnitude in
foundry iron which indicate that some SELL
ers are willing to make concessions TO Sc
cure the trade of good customers" But
the Steel and Wire Company has advanced
prices of wire nails, barbed and smooth
wire rs cents Bessemer pig is not higher
than il was six weeks ago, and steel plates
have declined from $40 TO 81 % at Phila-
delphia, bars at Pittsburg from s. TO
lis and sheets from Sis TO $3.50. while
the structural and rail producers have
held, but refused to advance prices. Some
new business is reported. but not enough
as yet to indicate the tendency. In tin.
after fall from 3Sc TO 25c. the price rises
TO 25.25c, and in copper l61zc is quoted in
stead of the 1Slkc Of month ago.
The disposition TO ask higher prices is
seen in boots and shoes, zoe advance being
asked on some for which 171zc was asked
and paid in November. The yielding I'm
hides at ChicagoA in spite of short receipts
because warm weather has checked killing
by farmers, has reached per cent In the
past month.
Cotton goods are at the highest quota
tions of last year, with good demand.
though cotton has declined little. Wooden
goods are much lower with respect TO wool
than year ago, and some further advance
has been expected. Wool is strongly held.
though full prices asked for a month ago
cannot be obtained. Prices of cotton do
not rise because receipts from plantations
have somewhat increased and accounts OF
large stocks at many small towns have at
tracted attention. The Southern mills.
which can easily supply themselves with
large stocks from the surrounding country
without passing the cotton through any
market or drawing il until IL is wanted.
have done so for their protection against
the publicly announced combination last
fall to raise prices These mills consumed
last year 100000 bales, but are reckoned
as having taken from this years crop only
49i, co.,
Wheat still moves very sluggishly, with
small change In prices. In six months OF
the crop year about 100000 bushels-four
included-have been exported, against 123,-
100000 last year. Atlantic exports have
now fallen to only 1850. 926 bushels for the
week, against 5.2l4,420 last year. and Pacific
exports were 53l, 225. against 6l4.SSS last
year. The price Is practically unchanged.
also for corn, of which 1898 195 bushels
have been exported for the week, against
3,572, ALP last year
Failures for the week have been 273 in
the United States, against 2i3 last year,
and Is in Canada. against a last year.