The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-20
PRICES REMAIN
QUITE FIRM.
Outlook for Spring Bust
ness is Evident.
IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY |:I.|',1
steadily Employed on Old Orders aud
New Business is Limited-Ccfcals
Arc Dill While Cotton
is Active.
IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY
NEW YORK, Jan. 1o.-Bradstreets

NEW YORK, Jan. 19.-Bradstteets to-
morrow will say:
General trade and prices as q whole
maintain the even balance which has
been the leading feature for scrnc time
past, and in which it will require the
advent OF distinctly new features to af-
feet any basic change. General demand
is large for this season of the year. but
speculation is quite to the extreme OF
dizziness i'll some lines, and especially IN
those branches of speculation which go
to radically affect financial affairs and
therefore the volume of bank clearing.
Close examination of Leading lines Of
industry fails to show marked I'M.
favorable features. 1t is true that retail
trade in seasonable goods has been and
is being affected by phenomenaily mild
weather but wherever spring trade,
particularly in dry-goods, has been de-
veloped it has been in such volume and
accompanied with such Il readiness of
acceptance of advanced prices as to point
to undiminished confidence on the part
of the trade world as to the outlook for
spring business.
IRON AND STEEL.
The iron and steel industry justly re-
garded as u trustworthy of index of gen
eral trade is steadily employed on old
orders and new business is limited for
reasons unnecessary to recapitulate. 1t
is evident that few reactions in prices
shown in such an ordinarily dull period
as this have strengthened rather than
lesSened confidence in the future. Signs
of preparation for the coming seasons
needs are shown in the reportet active
inquiry for steel rails 1T the west, recent
sales at Chicago aggregatins So,GOo tons.
some OF which are for Northwestern rail-
roads and some for export
Production is as evidently hard pushed
as ever. and the question of fuel supplies
rather than OF new orders cnsroSses
manufacturers attention. Some con:
cessions in foundry iron are noted but,
aside from this. price changes are within
very narrow limits The other metals
are rather stronger. copper ard tin be-
ing weak, the latter in sympathy NTH adj
vauceS abroad
Spring trade in hardware is opening
well, and advances in prices are generally
reported.
CEREALS DULL
Cereals are duh in nearly all directions,
and the pressure of enlarged stocks, par
ticularly abroad, has been influential this
week in bringing about a reaction in
prices.
Corn and oats, however. are rather
firmer on foreign buying, though sym
patheticaliy affected by the decline in
the leading cereal.
Cotton is active, speculation being in
iuenced by higher European advices
and evidence of Il large domestic con-
sumptive demand. Apparently improved
British prospects in South Africa are as
signed as the reason for the better buy
ing of cotton. resulting in 4 fractional,
>dvance this week. The crop movement
still continues much smaller than ex-
pected by the bears. Cotton goods are
meeting with good demand on spring
account.
Concessions at second hands are re-
ported, owing mainly to backward de-
!iveries now arriving being resold by
receivers. Rather more inquiry is notet!
L for WOOL particularly at Boston. and
mems wear sales for next fall are meet
ing with good patronage. notwithstand-
ing the advances demanded Fine woods
are at about the highest poiN reached
in twenty years.
Lumber IS strong, particularly white
pine grades. party because of smaller
stocks and 4 possible cut by shorts.
which is caused by lack of snow and
partly because Of hopeful feeling as
to the building outlook the coming spring.
GRAIN SHIPMENTS
Wheat. including -four, shipments For
'Hc "eeh SSSfeSaleu j.tHl.Uy5 bushels
against 42iS.s2J bushels last wreck: 5.19S61I
bushels in the corresponding week of 1899:
3.I26064 bushels in 1888 29lG. 7Iti bushels in
1897. and 33.Si9,21l bushels; in 1856 >
Since July LIST, this season. the exports
of wheat aggregated 1l:;S03.S3l bushels
against 139.23i,7l9 bushels last year. ana
4l.J5S974 bushels in lS97-'9S.
Corn exports for the week aggregated
3.le9%l2 bushels against ;,:i4.5.6 bushels
last week: 2.92S, 1871 bushels in this week q
year ago: 4SG,1 l3 bushels III 1898: $50: ~,
bushels in 1887. and s.192 800 bushels in
1896
Since July LIST, this season. corn exports.
corrected, aggregated 1o20so,S9 bushels
against 5000 100 bushels during the same
period a year ago, and e1,esl, las bushels
in 1s9l-'aS.
+ Business failures III the United States
are fewer in number. there being 80 Tor
the week as compared with 90 last week;
aG2 in this week a year ago: 500 in 1898; i2s
in 1897 and ga in 1896.
Business failures in the Dominion OF
Canada for the week NUMBER as COM
uared with % last week: 80 in this week
a wear ago; 46 in 1898; 81 in 1881. and p in