The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-23
SPRING OUTLOOK IS GOOD
DUN's WEEK LY REVIEW OF TRADE
HAS A DECIDEDLY oPTIMIs-
TIC TINGE
ADVANCE IN IRON AND STEEL
Demand for Structural Shapes and
builders Hardware Presages a
Building BOOm-COttOn and
Cotton Goods Depressed.

NEW YORK. March PR G. Dun &
Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow
will say:
The position of general business is sat
lsIactory. being marked tn week by in
creased activity of retail operations
lant1c seaboard cities, wnich is consid-
cred the forerunner OF a generally good
spring trade. New enterprise is re-
Heeteu IN the largest demanu for MANY
months for buiIoers. hardware and gen
efal materials, and contracts for prompt
dellyery OF all stfuctul al goods are very
a.Hlcutt 10 place. collections are prompt
ana railroad tonnage iSlW1l Ii mainta ned
Earnings of ali railroads 1or the month
OF March to date show a gain of 1913 per
cent over last year, and $50 pei cent over
leS9. Inc gains extend TO III actlcally the
whole country.
The textile industry alone does not i'm
prove Snort time has be- n adopted
by Fab River cotton minis and there are
reports that some of the Southern WeaV-
ing mills are about to curtaiI production
but this has been without special erect
on demand for either PRINT cloths or
heavy brown cottons.
IRON ADVANCING.
Quotations of pig iron and finished steel
tend toward a higher level There is st Ii
the wholesome element of conservatism
which prevents violent fluctuations ana
Keeps the advance at a moderate rate,
but the tendency of the market Is unde-
conspicuous strength is apparent in BeS-
semer pig, which now commands ST at
PHtSburg, while steel billetS have sold at
$24 and high carbon bllletS reached $50
Steel bars are 81 per ton higher, and
structural shapes are firmly maintained
With every expectation of an advance.
While these quotations snow moderate
gains much higher rates are paid for
Immediate delivery and in small amounts
A short time ago, II was expected, that
new ore prices would be mucn lower, but
the remarkable strength of products will
tend to sustain values of the raw ma
tefial. New high records are constantly
esta blished for coke in the Connellsville
region and prices are firm. Among the
minor metals further depression In tin
was the feature.
DROP IN COTTON.
The amount of cotton coming forward
at the South indicates that plantation
stocks are by no means exhausted, and
preparations for the new crop promise
an enormous acreage. From the top
point of the season, the price has fallen
$1S.45 a bale, and the only apparent ele-
ment of strength at present is the over
sold condition of the speculative mar
ket.
Footwear is firmly maintained for sta
pie lines, although high-priced grades are
easier. Some decrease in demand does
not disturb producers, as factories are
months to fill. orders for boots have
exceeded last years to date, with trade
most active at the South. Buyers who
recently left Boston are now sending in
orders freely. Especial activity is no
ticed in the local market for patent and
enamel shoes. Leather is in good de-
mand, particularly for SOLE but quota
lions are unchanged. although stocks are
light. Hides at Chicago have declined
almost steadily for two months, the net
fall in the average of ten grades amount
ing to 7.2 per cent. Despite the weak
ness in domestic lines foreign hides are
tending upward.
Review this week indicate that the VIM
ter wheat crop is in good condition, and
an unusually heavy acreage was planted
sian fly have been exaggerated
Failures for the week numbered "a IN
the United States, against 1S6 last year,
and SO in Canada, against Y last year.