The times., 1901-03-16
BRADSTREETs ON THE WEEK.
Little Change Noted I'm the General
Trade situation.

NEW yOnk, March 15.-Bradstreets 5
tomorrow will say:
THE general situation is without inn
portant change, the events of the week
appearing to accentuate heretofore pre-
vailing conditions. Distributive trade ana
speculation in securities continue large in
volume. with prices rising in the more
favored industries or dropping in those
, suffering from depression.
Iron and cotton goods industries are
pre-eminent and those two seem Ike Cp-
I posite poles, so marked is the difference
in trade feeling and conditions. In most
other Industries the reports are quite
favorable, notable i'm this direction being
the lumber leather, and hardware and
implements trades.
Western and Southern distributive
| trade reports are quite favorable and the
reports of active demands for dry goods
and clothing at the West contrast sharply
with the reports of dull business and the
receding prices of print cloths. bleached
cottons and other fabrics at first hands.
Railway returns continue highly fax or
able. confirming reports heretofore pub
lshed of activity in general shipping, and
reports of a shortage of cars, strange
one at this time of year, come from Chi
caGo and other large centres. Cleartngs
are of heavy volume and in this, as in
nearly ali other measures of trade i'm
provement present records surpass all
previously recorded for this season OF the
year.
Conditions in the domestic iron ana
steel demand recall the boom of 1899, ana
it becomes more and more evident that
an enormous consumptive demand. dls-
couraged by the high prices of year
ago, is now coming freely into the mar
ket. In no other way can the present
enormous output, within few thousand
tons of the maximum in pig iron, be ex-
plained. Prices rise as furnace stocks
fall and there are some who fear an
other runaway market. Foreign reports
are as blue as domestic reports are bright
but 1t is worth noting that an enormous
order for pipes is reported captured Dy
Americans, despite strenuous efforts py
foreigners.
Cotton goods are dull and droopy at
first hands, partly because OF the STEADY
decline in raw cotton. f-Sc on spot for
the week, and 1-Sc from the highest
price reached on the present boom, put
still 1-2c on the low price OF 1900 and &c
above the low price of 1899, previous TO
that years rise. Print cloths are l-Sc on
for the week and 5-Sc off from year ago
and talk of curtailment grows louder
Low prices are. however, stimulating eX-
port enquiry, and some business is being
done for China.
Gross railway returns for the month
of February aggregated S52Sl2,36o on lO4
roads, a gain of 7.6 per cent over year
ago comparing with a gain in January
of 81 per cent and a gain in February,
1900, over 1899 of 1875 per cent.
THE Southernwestern roads show the
largest gains. q per cent, followed by the
Southern roads with an increase of los
per cent The other roads report more
moderate gains, but all American groups
show increases
Bank clearings for the week aggregate
81, Jos. .217, ,139, a decrease of 9 per cent from
last week but gain of 81 per cent over
this week a year ago. Outside of New
York the decrease is 10 per cent from last
week, but there is a gain of Il per cent
over year ago
Business failures for the week number
217 as against 20S last week. 1870 in this
week a year ago. 205 in 1899, 233 in 1893,
and 231 in 1897"