The age-herald., 1901-02-22
TRADE AS WHOLE SHOWS EXPANSION General Review ofWeek's Trade :. bS Bradstreet SOME HEAVY SALES OF IRON
 t 5essemer Pig Iron at Pittsburs Is Now Selling at st4.7s. the Highest Price for Months-Export Trade
 Is Slack.

New York. February 2i.-Bradstreet's of February g will say:
 Trade as a whole has shown further expansion this week despite severe weath- CT tending to check trade at some north ern and western markets in the face Of very unsatisfactory conditions in the oot- ton manufacturing trade brought about by dullness in cotton goods at first hands The position of retailers with large stocks has been really improved by the con- tinued cold weather. Foremost among the lines noting improvement this week is the dry goods trade. which Is reported active on spring accountb jobbers. The boot and shoe industry has likewise con- tinued In satisfactory shape and some varieties of leather reflect recent activity in advances at eastern marets Iron and steel in the cruder forms have been very strong at central and eastern markets and considerable advances are reported in pig iron and steel billets Heavy sales are reported from Pittsburg, Birmingham and other markets. Bessemer pig iron at highest price for months, while pre- Pittsburg now selling at s1475, the mium of $1.50 ton IS exacted on imme- diate deliveries of steel billets, although the official quotation Is s19.75 still main tained Finished products are reported in good demand. Merchant bars were ad- vanced g ton late last week and H3t Is now the minimum price of these goods Structural material Is reported steadily active. In some respects; in fact, the state of this trade as a whole. is the strongest since before the collapse last spring. Export trade is slack, foreign iron and steel marekts are steadily go- ing lower and the fear of discriminating duties against American iron and stee Is evident, although the first manifesto ton that in the case of Russia, involves a very small amount of business. The strength of building materials of all kinds, particularly of white and yellow pine. and building hardware. has been notable and from many cities comes the report that a large amount of building will be done the coming spring.
 Coffee strengthened on better consump- tive demand. Teas have met with better sales as the prospects for any immediate change in the present tariff by Congress becomes less probable. Tin Is higher in sympathy with speculative activity abroad. -s8
 The cereals show little definite move. ment, taking the week as whole, ex- cepting flour, which is 10 to 20 cents g barrel higher. Wheat is fractionally higher and corn and oats are unchanged but the corn situation Is notable In view of this being a season of increasing stocks The chief support comes fdom the active foreign and home demand foi this cereal, consumptive requirements foi which seem to have definitely overtaker production.
 Wheat dncluding iour) shipments fol five days aggregated 3.424,302 bushels ae against 4814,S78 last week. 3.68o,S5O in the corresponding week of 1900, 3,S44,35O III 1899 and 3,732, ,469 in 1898.
 From July to date this season wheat exports have been 1zS,214 ,676 bushels, as against 13O,517,A1 last. season and 162, 90o.- 2S8 in 1s98-9S
 Corn exports for the week aggregated 3267, ,66S bushels, against 4,760.422 last week. 2,ss6,175 in this week year ago. 2s71, ,o57 in 1899 and 3,ss2. .7ss in 1898.
 Business failures in the United States for the week number H9, as against 22t last week. 16S in this week year ago, 220 in 1899, 1s3 in 1898 and 25S in 1897.
 Canadian failures for the week number "A. as against 39 last week, 2S In this week year ago. 3s in 1899, 45 In 1898 and 50 in 1S97