The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-09
BUSINESS IS STILL ACTIVE
PRACTICALLY NO CHANGE IN THE
WORLD OF COMMERCE. FROM
CONDITIONS A WEEK AGO
IRoNMAsTERs VERY PROUD
Refuse to Take Contracts for Flu
ture Delivery at Present Prices
-COnservative Heads Watch
the Future Askance.

NEW YORK, March S.-R G.. Dun &
Co.'s weekly review of trade will say to-
morrow:
Little change was developed this week
in the condition of general business. The
group recently gained seemed to be he'd
without difficulty, with good distribu-
ton of merchandise by Jobbers in most
lines, and with the entire absence of
speculative activity. There has been
further decline in cotton which does not
help the goods market still the most
backward and disappointing of all the
great industries but in mechanical lines
the progress being made is noteworthy
Building materials, including lumber, are
In especially urgent demand and dealers
who can deliver stock have no difficulty
in securing advanced prices. In this, I'M
like most other lines of business, the
East leads the country, and just at this
season it is of particular significance.
Conditions are reported good all through
the West and are better than usual at
the South.
Conditions in iron and steel begin to
assume an appearance similar to that of
1899. Prices have moved upward rapidly
since the turn was made, and bids al
current rates for distant delivery are
often refused. Manufacturers are unan
tmous in reporting a great demand for
domestic consumption, while export con-
tracts for finished forms are still taken
in competition with declining foreign
markets. 1t is at such time when the
outlook is brightest and quotations ad-
man becomes cognizant Of the fact that
there is always danger of imitation when
optimism goes beyond bounds. Granting
that there is not a cloud on the horizon,
it is we'll to remember that exports of
iron and steel have been smaller of late
and yet the present production is far IN
excess of domestic consumption, even al
lowing moderate increase over prevl-
Gus years Production Of coke expands,
and shipments are only limited by car
shortage.
o.
and while sales have decreased some
what, factories are assured activity for
q month or more There IS good de-
mand for low-priced heavy goods from
Southern jobbers, but many Western
buyers have not placed their usual con-
tracts yet. The local jobbing trade has
improved, and city wholesalers have lib
eral orders from country retailers Large
contracts have been placed with Western
manufacturers, who report conditions
satisfactory. The slight decrease in ship
ments from Boston for the week Is s. not U96
surprising but the loss Of over 10000
cases for the year thus far indicates the
extent to which development of this in
dustry in the West and South has re-
duced New England business. The
growth of domestic trade and exporta-
ton has been so great, however, that
with the exception of last year, and 1883,
the current years shipments to date ex-
coed any other on record by over 5000
cases. Textile fabrics exhibit a little
animation, although the markets are still
far from a satisfactory position Knit
goods receive more attention for fall
Ines hosiery and articles for summer
cutting are taken freely. Mercerfzed
goods of expensive qualities enjoy
brisk demand, and cheaper cottons are
exported in considerable quantities. Some
lines of silks find buyers without further
cut, and labor troubles at the mills are
less disturbing Two large failures in
wool occurred abroad and three Vermont
concerns were forced to suspend. Sales
of wool at the three chief Eastern mar
kets decreased nearly 100000 lbs, com
pared with the previous weeks business,
but this is a favorable symptom, as eX-
cess operations of late were due to fore
ed sales at lower prices.
Cotton declined still further, with OPP
ton business active. Idle mills, estimates
of liberal receipts and indications that
planters will cultivate an enormous acre
age this season, resulted in the lowest
prices of the season. With the exception
of a weak spot early last June, the quo
tation has not been as low in over year
but the present price is over 67 per cent
above the bottom record of 1898.
Wheat is in abundant supply, with quo
reports that Hessian fly promises to be
unusually troublesome, while weather
conditions are also threatening. Atlantic
exports of wheat, flour included, were
24I7, $3.50 bu for the week. against 1,7S1, S95
bu a year ago; while corn exports were
3 357, 4S3 bu, against 2,1S321 bu in 1900.
Heavy supplies Of coffee at last prevailed
over manipulation and prices declined.
Failures for the week were 20S in the
Unit ted States, against POS last year, and 26
in Canada, against 80 last year.