The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-29
] GOOD UNlERTONE

GOOD URlERTORE
Apparent in All Lines of Business.
Past Year Had to Bear Reaction Of
Great Prosperity Of 1soe-Iron and
Steel Trade Continues Good.
NEW YORK. Dec. es..----R. G. Dun S;
cemPaay's Weekly Review OF Trade
'to-morrow will say:
Willie, It is not yet possible to print
accurate figures OF failures during the
full year 1900, a preliminary statement
may be made thai Will approximate tho
final result. Detailed returns for all
but the last few days S,r the year have
been complied, and adding proportions
ate amount for the tlnic still TO ciapse.
1t appears that commercial failures will
number about 10,sSe. with liz Shili.les OF
SlSi, 900, 900. OF this number $500 were
In manufacturing for si9,750, COO: I, 800 In
trading for s60.00O.00O and $50 brokers,
transporters. etc, rot properly belong
Ing In either OF the other classes. for
$27, 10000. Besides these strictly COM
mercla! defaults there were sixty
financial concerns, with liabilities of
S3i 100000. swelling the total to 1o,69O
in number, and S11O0e0,GO0 In amount.
This shows u large increase over the
preceding year, when all failures num-
bered o,S92 and liabilities were sl23.-
132,67s.
Year OF Prosperity.
1t must not be forgotten, however.
that 1899 was year Of exceptional
prosperity In business, and while trade
was then stimulated by rising prices,
the succeeding year had to bear the
bitter fruit OF reaction. Despite these
disasters. made unavoidable by the
very conditions that brought such
phenomenal record FOR 1899. It still viii
be found that 1900 compares favorably
with other recent years.
So general preparation had been
made by eastern business interests for
squeeze in money near the end Of
the year. that the expected advance did
not occur, and collections In the in
terror were SO good that banks made
general complaint Of the scarcity Of
mercantile paper offered for discount.
This outcome was particularly ercour-
aging, though business will need more
money after January /.
Good Undertone.
Meanwhile good undertone has been
continually in evidence, founded upon
the active distribution of merchandise
south and west. sellers assuming an in
different attitude. except in cotton
goods and some branches OF silk, whe,e
the general Improvement has been re-
nectcd to comparatively small degree.
In both cotton and silk circles better
things are expected in January, and in
no direction has reduction Of working
forces in mills occurred. Some wnse
differences have been adjusted In this
respect the situation Is unusually
bright More talk OF n general reduce
tlon In coke and cheaper ore after nav
igation opens might- be calculated to
unsettle quotations OF the finished pro-
ducts, but iron and steel continue the
even tenor of their way. In every de-
partmcnt of this industry, more busi-
pn,, l., ,rf,so,J tb,, ~, l,a ocnnnta5 NJ, :
in.a nrraha sars nv, ,,;I,inr n e,vo
much tine for delivery
foreish ooii'iA'1 'i''''' Ao0''
One large foreign contract was lost
on this account ana at po,n.s 's uo',ies
~ oa,,.a ;o,sal Irste,d NJ the or.
w.,,sr ,or ohoono,. ston, rails that was
'.".D. ,as. ~ sho., ,irna ,ro nrodu.
~ .n,d - contomnIate nm nd
80 o. 6on,as,;o - Contracts in this line
~ nno .nrs NJ Chicago, and
SSn 80 nona,rn 80 oranrs 10 noticed one for
- n non ,aus for Australia. with many
.LeSv wv. s's 80 c,rnc,ural material Is
si.'a.ie, sA, 50. ~ h',,,sI,,rs and hrId res with
Man.eu ,',,, ,o' o.',.s.,, In ,hIs department
.o''esao. ''' " y
ior eepu. w.. :, nod .,,n that the local
:, 20 Nv a. y. tontw.,, 10 ouIet nor
!ooD'"e - r,o.,,,sd hv manufacturers
shet o'as.s s,,,u nc most tray
iIoni S'.esu - tar tho hol,a,vs,
e,ers fetu.Asu .oa,- 49, a,.o rot large hut
saeheel NV ~" 49, ., ,un canacity