The age-herald., 1901-04-13
GREAT ACTIVITY
 IN ALL BUSINESS Dun's Review Reports Big Gains
 in Many Lines \ IRON OUTPUT VERY HEAVY Speculation Was Unusually Strong In Wheat and Other Food Stuffs.
 Textile Fabrics Also Make
 a showing-6etter Prices.
IRON OUTPUT VERY HEAVY

New York April 12--R. G. Duns weekly review of trade tomorrow will say:
 The tone of the general business has been better this week. Marked activity in the distribution of merchandise is re- tiected in the gains of 459 per cent in bank clearings at New York compared with 19Oc and 20.S per cent over 1899, with gains of 135 and 10.s per cent for the same periods at leading cities outside New York Even the textile markets show pronounced gain. Activity in the metal division has taken pig iron production to near record figures. and some dealers do not see how production of partly fin- ished forms this year is to be made to meet the demond. The government report of the condition of wheat on April 1 is the surest possible basis upon which ex- pectation of continued commercial pros perity could be found. Stringency of mon- ey is largely local in New York, and does not alter reports from most of the larger cities of favorable conditions in collec- tions. Railroad earnings in March were "A per cent larger than last year and 32.4 per cent over 1899, according to prac- tically complete returns.
 Pig iron production on April l. accord ing to the Iron Age, was at the rate of 296.676 tons weekly. This quantity has been exceeded twice in the history of the industry; on December l, 1899, when 296- 959 tons were produced, and on Febru- ary l, 1900, when the output was 29S014 tons. The remarkable feature of the sit uation is the decrease of 69,56S tons in furnace stocks during March in the face of this enormous production, while In six months the loss in supplies amounted to 20S,656 tons. Quotations are generally steady for all forms, except plates. on which g ton more is demanded without restricting purchases. Contracts for de- livery of pig iron do not, as a rule, ex- tend beyond this month, and furnace stocks cannot be expected to continue.Ge- creasing unless new bushes ss cows~Ior- ward. for many furnaces hs-e gone into blast since the month<spened, and pro- duction on May 14robably will be at new high recop
 Speculatiri has been unusually heavy in foodst1ffs, the local market averaging overi 100000 bushels of wheat daily Prices receded sharply from the top point If two weeks ago, wheat losing about cents for spot. Realizing sales were ac- celerated by the expectation of a high of winter wheat condition in the official report. Two elements of strength appeared to check the decline and caused some recovery; insects were reported numerous In the Southwestern section and foreign buying was sufficient to make Atlantic exports, flour included. 6732, 900 bushels in two weeks, against 3,912, S57 last year and 3S9O, 3S0 in 1899.
 Corn received better support by manipu lation and lighter interior receipts. The large increase in hog packing at the West as compared with last years figures probably accounts for the first sign of pronounced weakness in pork products.
 Large producers of footwear in New England are still doing a good business, with sufficient orders to insure full time at the shops for a month or more. Ex- pected concessions in prices by smaller makers have commenced, moderately large contracts for split, kip and grain boots being secured at 2A cents reduction
 In the face of recent reductions in the prices of rubber goods the raw material has advanced to S6 cents.
 Textile fabrics are in better position, al- though the improvement Is slight and confined to few special lines. At the Eastern wool markets manufacturers have taken sufficient new material of late to indicate better orders for goods and news from the West suggests that ranch owners are going to hold for better prices than now prevail In the cotton goods division there has been more buying for China, while spring dry goods openings make encouraging exhibits. The raw ma terial lost most of last weeks gain, spec ulators making no resistance to the weak ening influence of larger receipts and lighter exports than year ago. Besides the intentional curtailment of spinning, there has been further reduction of opera tions by spring floods. In silk goods more activity is reported. and another trifling advance occurred in raw material
 Failures for the week numbered 203 in the United States, against 193 last year, and 24 in Canada, against 4 last year.