New-York tribune., 1900-03-05

there are smaller. The cast iron compact OF
Valley works not TO sell Bessemer pig for less
than the equivalent of $24 80 at Pittsburg has
not prevented sales there of such pig from the
East S2i and while bars and sheets are re-
ported stronger, sales of plates at 81 cents
have opposite meaning Considerable struct-
ural work is obtained by Eastern mills. with
more in prospect here and at Chicago. though
the latter city has to await the end of a great
labor struggle In general. iron and its products
are settling toward prices which will keep busy
the enormous producing force engaged.
The tendency is the same In the shoe ana
leather industry. though no further reduction
was reported last week in prices OF boots and
shoes and a large share of the jobbers returned
from their Eastern trip without giving their
orders. The belief that by waiting until April
as they did last year. they can get better prices
again was strengthened in their minds by the
decline of % per cent last week in the average
price of hides at Chicago. making over per
cent decline from the highest point in Decem-
ber Leather yielded a little last week in
some grades but on the whole not 3 per cent
since hides were at the highest. The holders of
wool resisting decline, and counting much
on higher prices at London sales, but mean
while sales of goods at the advanced prices are
so moderate that, greatly to the disgust of the
more fortunate some are seeking larger business
by concessions. Naturally this tends to Increase
the cancellations. OF which there is much said
year ago raw cotton sold at 6.o6 cents. ana
it now sells at 969 cents rise of Az per cent.
Some goods made further advances last week
and still the average of prices in this department
Is only 229 per cent higher than a year ago.
Wages have risen a little. and other expenses
also but the chief fact is that Northern mills
had taken before February began when cotton
cost less than cents. 1,6G3411 bales. or
.JO4 91l bales more than their consumption to
March at last years full rate. that they are
not using 9-cent cotton. Having now enough 10
carry them we'll on into May they afford to
wait little Receipts from plantations in Feb
ruary were S009S7 bales. against 495.514 last
year. and exports were 669. .26I. against 9,S29
last year, but the shipments also were largely
of cotton bought before February, of which the
movement was delayed by lack Of freight room.
The quick increase in Western receipts OF
wheat. which exceeded last years by about a
million bushels for the week. making the guam
tity for four weeks 12.547 O56 bushels against
1o511 $40 last year, showed clearly that stocks
were by no means exhausted. so that the price
ceased to advance. Exports still fall behind last
years. 100000 bushels for the week and
3t35 600 for four weeks-so that with official
returns for seven months the net exports from
both coasts, including flour. have been 125.4s2.-
49S bushels against 1851 .622 last year The
fact that corn exports. which were never more
than about a hundred million bushels until 1897,
have now been 14T 1851 in eight months,
about 33,0O0,0O0 bushels more than last year.
and nearly 27,000.00o more thaDip 1898. when
they were largest. stlll goes far TO explain the
decrease In wheat. and promises further expan-
sion OF exports In future Generally foreign
trade is most encouraging, for, while imports In
four weeks past rise 157 per cent above last
years owing 10 the great demand for raw ma
tcrials the exports have increased relatively
still more. over - per cent, indicating another
months excess of about SiO00000O