The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-23

General Trade and Prices Maintained.
Iron Industry Active and Lumber
Strong-Grain Exports.

New York, January 1s.-Bradstress'
tomorrow viii say:
General trade and prices as a Who'll,
mainEain the even balance which ha:
been the leading feature for som tim.
past, and in which il viii require the
affect any basic change. General de-
mand is large for this season IT the
year, but speculation is quiet 10 she
extreme OF dizziness in some lines. and
especially in those branches OF specu-
lation which go 10 radically affect
financial affairs and. therefore. the vol
ume of bank clearings.
Close examination OF leading lines
OF industry fails to show marked I'M
favorable features II is true that ~
tail trade in seasonable goods has been
and is being affected by phenomenally
mild winter weather, but wherever
spring trade, particularly in dry goods.
has beer developed. ii has been in such
volume and accompanied with such a
readiness OF acceptance of advanced
prices as 10 point TO undiminisied con
fidence on h part OF the trade world
as to the outlook for spring business.
The iron and s.esl industry. justly
regarded as a trustworthy index OF
general trade. is still actively employed
on Dc orders and new business is lin
tied for reasons unnecessary to reca-
pitulate. Ii is evident hat the few re-
actions in prices shown in such an
ordinarily dull period as his nave
strengthened rather than lessened con-
fidence in the future. Signs of prepa-
ration for the coming seasons needs
are shown i'm h reported active in
curry for steel rails at h west, recent
sales at Chicago aggregating SO. 1000
tons, some of which are for northwest
ern railroads and some for export.
Production is evidently as hard push
ed as ever and the question of the fuel
supplies rather than of new orders en-
crosses manufacturers attention. Some
concessions in foundry iron are noted.
but, aside from this. price changes are
within very narrow limits. The other
metals are rather stronger. copper and
tin being weak, the latter in sympathy
with advances abroad. Spring trade
in hardware is opening well. and ad-
vances in prices are generally reported.
lumber is strong, particularly white
pine grades, partly because of smaller
stocks and a possibly smaller cur in
northwest as a result of lack of
snow and partly because of a hopeful
feeling as to the building outlook the
coming spring.
"hCol, iiIiuOiiS iiouI, SHipifcllS IUT
the week aggregate 3,061 ,026 bushels.
against 4,24S.9 26 bushels last week and
5,19S,671 bushels in the corresponding
week in 1899. Since July LIST this sea
son the exports of wheat aggregate
113, 500, S31, against 139, 234. 719 bushels
s year.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
!, 199, 312 bushels. against 3.314,576 bush
els last week and 2,92S, 191 bushels in
this week a year ago. Sine July 1st,
this season corn exports, corrected, ag-
gregate 1872 3O, O69 bushels, against g.
020, 100 bushels during the same period
a year ago.
Business failures in the United States
are fewer in number, there being 255
for the week, as compared with 295
last week, 262 in this week a year ago,
500 in 1898, 429 in 1897 and 341 in 1896.