The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-08
PRICES RULING STEADY
Sales of Wool Are Less Than Half of
Last Year.
CEREALS ARE NOW ON THE UP GRADE
Holiday Trade is Reported Brisk al All Points
The Market For Footwear Quiet Fail
urcS For Week 287 Against
22l Last Year.
(By he Associated Press

lDy nc ASbOCldlCQ ITebS.J
New York. Dec 7-R. G. Dun C Co.'S
Weekly Review of Trade tomorrow will
saw:
Business is progressing along conser-
vative lines. 1t is without excitement
and without great speculative activity,
but with a confident undertone which is
to be explained largely by the fact that
leading concerns in most of the great
industries have orders booked to employ
their machinery at nearly full capacity
during months when curtailment is usual
No net reduction in working force has ap-
peared in the last fortnight and a read
justment of wage schedules in some
branches of the steel trade is affected
without trouble. Prices of commodities
are generally steady and holiday trade
is brisk at all points The South is parti-
cularly cheerful. with cotton firm and
the crop coming in at very full prices.
There is no cause for alarm in the small
volume of new business at iron and
steel centers. With the first sign of
higher prices there came forward a flood
of contracts sufficient to keep mills and
furnaces at full capacity for months.
There is less bidding for products For
unreasonably during the weeks of great
est activity and now there is no sign
of depression. On the other hand, bars
are more firmly held, while many idle
mills have resumed in this department
and sheet makers also insist on better
terms. other forms of finished material
are steady and at most points pig is un-
changed, although concessions are made
for Bessemer at Pittsburg. Numerous
bridges are being erected by the railroads
and a heavy tonnage of structural steel
is taken. Other railway supplies are in
active demand. with rolling stock ur-
gently sought Business in iron is par
ticularly brisk at Chicago. With slight
moderation in domestic buying, more at
tention is given to exports.
aside from further advance of az
in mems kip boots and firmness in grain
shoes the market for footwear has
quieted down. but with no disposition to
recede from the generally higher range
established last week. Makers have few
er orders, however, and heavy winter
footwear has been purchased for the sea-
sons requirements. The customary
holiday demand has not appeared though
retailers have full lines of fancy shoes
and slippers. Wool remains steady, and
sales ere less than half last years.
Manufacturers purchase carefully and
the goods market is unusually dull for
the season.
For the first time in many weeks the
cereals exhibited strength and some ad-
vance was to be expected after the ex-
tensive decline. Wheat was started up
ward by foreign markets and prompt re-
sponse here compelled covering of con-
tracts. Nothing of Importance was learn
ed regarding domestic conditions aside
from the heavy marketing at interior
cities as indicated by Western receipts Of
5,S25,402 bushels, against 1901, 79S in the
previous week, and 5,233 ,010 year ago.
On the other hand. exports at the At
lantic coast cities were only 2,214,409
bushels, against 3,9J9677 in 1899 More
strength was shown by corn, which
brought cut receipts of 4,6O9, 166 bushels,
against 3450.772 last year, but foreign
buying was brisk even at quotations
seven cents higher than last year, At
lantic exports for the week aggregated
6.336, 7l5 bushels, against 3709,27S in 1899
Cotton was stubbornly held above ten
cents. Many reports from plantations
suggest a crop larger than prevailing es-
Inmates, and heavy port receipts also dis
courage hopes of higher prices. Traders
impatiently await the Government report
Failures for the week were 2S7 in the
United States, against 221 last year.
TOTAL NET RECEIPTS.
New York. Dec THE following are
the total net receipts of cotton at all
ports since September 1st, 1900:
Galveston. 96S. .544 bales; New Orleans,
,213 179; Mobile. 81 1,4O7; Savannah, ISL
329: Charleston, 165, ,292; Wilmington, 201-
$50: Norfolk 21S3S5; Baltimore, 16,7l4;
New York, 81 $50; Boston. S4,S12; New
port News, 3,156 Philadelphia, 1878;
Brunswick, 27,3S2; Pensacola, 45,OS1 To-
tai, 3631.923 bales
TOTAL BANK CLEARINGS.
New York, Dec THE total bank
clearings at principal cites of the United
States for the week ending yesterday
were 81, ,253 62O.544, an increase of 1873
per cent. as compared with last year.
Exclusive of New York city S779 66f 925