The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-13
DUN G CO.'S REPORT.
The Hesitation Ina Business and shrink
age I'm Volume Usual at This Season

New York. March s.-R. G. Dun d
Cos weekly Review of Trade tomorrow
will say:
A certain hesitation in business. with
shrinkage in its volume is not unusual.
nor unnatural at this season. Ii Is
not necessarily disheartening. there
fore, If business is no longer so large
In volume as ever, but falls behind that
of February or January or of the cor
responding week last year. Strikes I'm
building trades or machinists and 9th
ers at Chicago affect many industries
and the wages of so, 900 hands.
The remarkable rise In cotton has
apparently met the expected reaction
which tends for the time TO repress
business. A few great corporations
are striving TO hold prices without re-
gard to present demand, hoping that
the needs Of consumers may prevent
reaction and renew the rise of last
year. Some differences Of opinion also
exist regarding the effects OF the mon
etary action by congress.
Special causes are not needed TO ac-
count for some pause after a year Of
unprecedented buying. That such
trade could not continue without a
pause was evident and there is now
not the excessive speculation mic
threatened monetary trouble a year
ago.
The output of iron furnaces March
1st, was 1872 CAB tons weekly, against
29S .014 February LIST, and stocks in
creased 35,516 tons in February, max
ing consumption 1921 tons daily.
against 41,642 tons in January. Much
business Is evidently deferred just now
because Of doubt regarding future
prices. Coke Is hard to get even at
$3.50 for furnace.
Cotton sold on Monday at 9.s1 cents,
the highest point since January 10.
1893 when the crop suddenly fell from
5000. 900 to 100000 bales. A sharp re-
action came on Wednesday and the
prices dropped Bloc that day and clos
ed u below the highest point. While
the demand for immediate use has
held goods stronger. there has been for
some time small desire to make con-
tracts ahead.
Estimates of wheat in farmers hands
March 1st, 164, 600, 900 bushels, according
to The American Agriculturist. do not
indicate a lack Of supply this year.
for with $4,000, 900 in visible stocks.
there is in sight nearly as much as "A
year ago, when foreign demands wer..
ended with over 80, 000, 900 in visible
supply. This yea net exports In seven
months, flour included, have been ILL.,
22l 1885 bushels, against 149. SIG, 4o7 last
year, n in February enough TO make
about 125. 0oo.0 0 bushels. against 1ss.-
VVv,Vvo idSl year. Win nc ~QUlCaIlOn
OF a future foreign demand approach
ing that of last year from March Ist 20
July 1st- Returns as to conditions OF
winter wheat are also satisfactory;
but of late prices have been very iow,
and have advanced this week nearly
&c for spot and 1c for May options.
In boots and shoes no change appears
In quotations. though not an eighth
OF the usual orders for boots has been
given n not a quarter for mems or
women's heavy shoes. While the de-
mand for light shoes has been the
smallest in five years. Shipments on
former orders have been less than In
1898, but larger than I'm the CORE
spending week of any other year.
Failures last week were In amount
$3,4S2.S27, manufacturing 81. 11s.s51 and
trading s2,161, 211. Failures for the
week have been POS In The United
States, against 49, last year and 2;
in Canada, against 81 last