The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-02-16
BIG DEMAND FOR STEEL
Some Progress in Settling Western
Labor Differences.
COTTON FABRICS CONTINUE QUIET
Wheat Has Advanced on Reports Of Receipts a
Mills Unfit For Grinding. No Sign Of
Weakness in the Boot and
Shoe Industry.
lRy the Associated press.l }


New York, Feb. 15.--R. G. Dun and
Company's weekly Review of Trade to-
morrow viii say
Business continues of good volume in
nearly all parts of the country and re-
ports from the West and Southwest Of
satisfactory distribution of merchan-
disc by jobbers begin to have a famil-
lar sound. Heavy orders come from
agents on the road. There is no i'm
portant change in prices in any depart
ment of manufactured goods, and some
staple rise while others decline, but the
longer the situation remains as at pres
ent the surer the business world feels
about rise in the future, for the de-
mand for merchandise for prompt con-,
sumption does not decrease. Some prog
ress has been made in the direction of
settlement of labor differences in the
Far West and the temper of soft coal
miners is more amicable. while there is
| little concern among steel interests over
| the sensational stories of organization
at BE mills to enforce demands for
higher wages. The standard measures
Of business make a favorable compare
son.
AT some points there are evidences
| of an inclination to delay operations in
| iron and steel until something definite
| is known regarding the proposed COM
! bination. but this applies only to small
| undertakings which are insignificant in
! comparison with the urgent dealings
| that cannot be postponed. Purchasers
! find difficulty in securing even approx
| mate dates for delivery of goods in
| many products and mills are so far be-
| hind orders as a rule that no new con-
tracts are sought Structural material
| and railway supplies are in greatest re-
! quest. numerous heavy orders being ac-
cepted this week at full prices. There
| is no inclination to- shade quotations OF
| finished forms and pig iron at iPttsburg
again advanced.
! mo sign OF weakness is apparent in
| any department of the boot and shoe
| industry. Some manufacturers nave
| booked orders that will insure running
| on full time well into May and it is an
| exceptional case where jobbers can Sc
| cure March delivery even from the
/ smaller shops. Statesmen are returning
| from the West and South with most
| cheerful reports, and while local JOB
| bing is less brisk than last week there
| is no complaint. F'orwardings from
| Boston were S7,437 cases against S3,255
| in the previous week and although the
| total for two weeks is somewhat small
| ar than the 1S5, ,06S cases shipped last
wear The movement in 1900 was higher
than in the corresponding fortnight OF
any other year.
| News regarding the textile manufac-
| ture is less encouraging, despite the fact
| that sales of wool at the three chief
Eastern markets rose TO 6,972, 800 pounds,
! far exceeding all recent records, show
| ing Il gain OF $780, 500 pounds over the
same week last year. 1t was at this
time in 1900 that the movement com
menced to fall off and the depression
began which has continued ever since.
Cotton fabrics continue quiet and
domestic mills are not fully occupied.
| Liverpool cables have given no support,
while Manchester is securing raw cotton
from India in unusually large quanti-
| ties. These influences caused a further
| decline in middling Uplands. Taking
| the price to the lowest point in three
| mcnths. Export in January were val
ued at $35, ,S37, ,924, against $27,0S9,251 in
| 1900 but the increase was entirely due
| to an advance of 20 cents a pound in the
price. as the quantity was 1,S42 bales
smaller
Wheat was advanced this week by
reports of the receipts at mills of grain
unfit for grinding. Flour at Minneapo-
lis is much smaller than q year ago, and
further decrease is expected. Atlantic
exports of wheat. including flour, for
| the week, We're 2,47S,521 bushels, against
/ ,529,533 bushels last year.
Failures for the week numbered 257
in the United States against 21S last
year"