The age-herald., 1900-02-17
Important Branches are Hinder
 ed by Labor Troubles.
BUSINESS CONTINUES LARGE
Large Increase in Receipts That Reaction Will Nat
 urally Follow.

New York, February 16-R. G. Dun & Co.'S Weekly Review of Trade will say to- morrow:
 Business continues larger than ever at this season in the amount of payments, and on the whole as large as ever in retail de- livery, though new transactions do not give assurance that it will ho.d at the same rate. Conditions affecting new orders and contracts have changed in some respects most favorably, while other changes tend to restrict operations for time, but con servative judgment of the conflicting tend encies appears to warrant strong hope.
 Important branches of business are hin- dered by labor troubles, of which the build
 ing trade strike at Chicago affects the greatest number Of contracts for indus trial products and the labor and wages of the greatest number of men. Circumstances do not yet yet promise its speedy ending, and in some other branches of industry prosperity and advancing prices seem to have rendered controversies more frequent. But in other branches declining prices, or such decrease of orders as may lead to stoppage of works have an opposite tend ency.
 The rise of cotton to S7sc has caused such an increase in receipts and in purchases for export that reaction would ordinarily follow. Goods have been further advanced and it does not appear the demand for them has been strengthened. Between positive assertions that stocks in the coun- try have been exhausted or in a few days will be, and equally positive assertions that heavy receipts will continue buying of cotton by sptnners and goods by dealers naturally hesitates. The rise in wheat also brings out larger western receipts.
 Corn exports of 6241 900 bushels against 4S07 ,2l5 bushels for the same week last year seem to justify the rise of l cent, as western receipts fall a little below last years in two weeks, 11,SO3,973 bushels against 91,5S0,979 bushels last year.
 The suit of MT. Prick against the Carne- gle company to obtain an accounting and settlement discloses enormous profits made when prices of steel products doubled last | year, but when peace was kept by the gigantic iron and steel combinations. That results of great importance may spring rom a contest affecting the control of so many iron works is evident. The new sheet company has united ownership of 160 mills
 it is said. but four widely known concerns | controlling 65 mills refuse to join. Prices
 
 | ble sales, including some for export, are | reported but the excess of supply over de- | mand which appeared in January is in- | creased by the starting of a new furnace with a capacity of 500 tons daily sale l Is reported of 100000 pounds of Calumet l and Hecla copper to consumers of the mid | dle valley at 16 per cent.
 i Heavy sales of sole leather at Boston l exceeding 100000 sides at reduction of 1bc in price, with unusually large sales of hides l at Chicago also at lower prices indicate 1 that the dealers and consumers who have | looked for cheaper boots and shoes may be satisfied.
 1 Heavy imports of hides al New York have some influence and are a part due to the l famine in India. Shipments of shoes since | February have been 2S,000 cases or nearly 70 per cent. larger than in the two weeks | Of any other year, but many of the works are nearly out of orders. Wool sales at eastern markets have been only 12,3 456 | pounds in two weeks, against 12, ,635, 600 last l year.
 The interior still believes in further ad- | vance, but buying of wool on sheeps' back l has stopped and the manufacture has made | 1t clear that the mills hold large stocks to | fill recent orders. Cancellations become | so numerous as to cause some uneasness, 1 but as yet only help mills which have taken | more orders than they can fill. Failures for two weeks have amounted to 5357.170; manufa curing, $2, 9S6 2S3 and trad ing, $2,569,6O0.
 Failures for the week have been PIP in the United States, against IFS last year, and 42 in Canada against IS last year.