The sun., 1900-09-08
THE STATE OF TRADE.
Comments by Dun's Review on the
Business of the Week.
VOLUME rs LITTLE LARGER.
Weeks Most Important Event In
the Industrial World Reported
to he the Agreement ON the
Tin Plate Wage Scale.

New York, Sept. 7.-R. G. Dun & Co.'s
weekly review of trade says:
The volume of business does not ma
terially enlarge at the east, and there is
only moderate improvement at the, west
and south, but if expectations of greater
activity when politics cease to disturb
are realized, current operations will be
found to have laid a substantial founda-
ton. Bank clearings for the week show
loss of "a per cent at New York COM
pared with 1899 and 5 per cent decrease
from 1898. At other leading cities they
decrease 81 per cent from 1899, but
gain 1853 per cent over 1898. The most
important event of the week in the indus
trial world was the agreement on the
tin plate wage scale with the Amalgs-
mated association granting about 8 per
cent advance to 25,000 hands long idle.
Other metal workers disputes are near
ing settlement, while the Borden pur-
chase of 100000 pieces print cloths at
27S cents clears up the Fall River mar
ket and is believed to preclude serious
wage differences there. There were also
sold 100000 pieces of odd goods.
Prices of grain are little altered, good
crop reports coming in freely, but the
effect being neutralized by foreign esti-
mate of a crop below requirements.
Wheat stocks carried over were ample
to meet the discrepancy, and traders do
not seem able to advance prices more
than cents over last years for wheat
and cents for corn. This difference is
apparently satisfactory to growers, as
7,430,3T2 bushels wheat We're received at
interior cities in the first week of Sep
tember against 5,945,69 last year. Ex-
ports from Atlantic ports amounted to
only 1902, $40 bushels wheat, -four in
cluded, against 2,900,960 a year ago.
The Atlantic shipments of corn made a
better comparison than in recent weeks,
2,923,079 bushels against 3,051, 800 last
year. Cotton is strong in the face of a
larger yield than expected, the New Or
leans exchange reporting 9,436,416 bales,
for which SS1 oil, 1888 more was paid
than for the previous record breaking
production of 11,274,S40 bales.
Iron and Steel.
Business in iron and steel products
steadily increases, and mills are more
actively employed. Oct. is mentioned
as the probable date of general resump-
tion. 1t is significant that shipyards on
the lakes and the Pacific coast are full of
orders for eight months or more. Prices
do not vary much, but tubular goods are
| advanced ) per cent, and some forms of
structural are held above former figures.
As to pig iron, the outlook is no better.
| In spite Of a decrease in production to
231, IFS tons weekly according to The
Iron Age, furnace stocks have increased
to 594,21S tons, gain of S9,S17 during
August, but the increase in demand was
not noteworthy until Aug. Is. Railroads
have refused to make reduction in freight
rates. which it was hoped would increase
exports. Bessemer pig and gray forge
| further declined 81 per ton at Pittsburg
although no change is reported at other
points. Copper continues firm, with cleo
trolytic higher at 1925 cents bid, and tin
advanced moderately.
| Last weeks shipments of boots and
shoes from Boston were only 1884.
cases against II, ,2T7 in the previous week
and for the year thus far the decrease
compared with 1899 has amounted t
254,315 cases. Up to the end of August
there was no sign of purchasing, and
more shops were being added to the id't
list, but after the double holiday a fail
volume of orders appeared, especially fol
children's school shoes from New Yori
| jobbers. New England concerns also re
| ceived more trade, and manufacturer:
l -n"@ht iaathar mad0rstel~. 1t was not &