The age-herald., 1901-10-05
TRADE REVIEWS
 FOR THE WEEK Transportation abilities lnsuffi- Cient to Handle Trade VERY FEW WHEELS ARE IDLE Nothing New In the Iron and Steel Situation-LittIe Prospect of Any
 Material Change In
 Market.
VERY FEW WHEELS ARE IDLE

New York, October AR. G. Dun & Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow will say:
 Channels are remarkably free from ob- struction, although the movement of goods at some points is checked by in sufficient transporting facilities. This is tribute to the unusually heavy shipments which are shown more definitely by rail- way earnings in September, 92 per cent larger than last year and 16.7 per cent above those of 1899.
 Manufacturing is of such vigor that few wheels are idle. and further wage agree. ments have reduced the number of strik CTS to a minimum. Mild weather, yacht races and other temporary influences cur tailed the volume of retail in this vicini. ty, but jobbing and wholesale concerns are preparing for exceptional transac- tions. Foreign trade Is also heavy.
 Nothing new has developed in regard to the iron and steel situation and with take consumptive demand there is little prospect of any material change in the market for some time.
 Contracts for Steel Rails.
 Contracts for an enormous quantity of steel rails, deliverable next year at cur rent quotations, indicate the general con fidence in the stability of prices and the expansion of railway facilities required to meet the growing needs of the country Finished steel and pig iron sales are of satisfactory volume.
 Steadiness is still the feature of textile markets. Sellers are not making any concessions in prices and buyers do not force matters. There was a tendency to hold back the placing of new business, particularly in the cotton goods division. This was attributed to expectation of changes in the price of raw material Re- cent advanced quotations are held and exporters for China are unable to secure even the small reduction asked New or ders for woolens are slow but buyers complain of late delivery on old con tracts. This might result in cancella- tions if the demand was not i)liformly brisk and dealers unable to secure goods elsewhere. Wool comes forward freely and supplies are ample. A slight advance to 17h was reported in the average price of 100 grades on October 1, according to Coates Brothers circular. Supplemental ry orderS TOT winter footwear made the situation rather more satisfactory than producers anticipated while jobbers are unable to secure goods to fill orders. Hides were violently advanced to the highest prices of the year.
 Staple Products Active.
 Sample products have declined moder- ately as rule with the exception of cot ton and pork products. The variation was widest in corn as might be expected since that cereal was inflated much more than any other commodity. Exports have increased, but are still small; for the week only 843,374 bushels going ouS from Atlantic ports against 2,14000 bushels last year and 2992,2 in 1899. Wheat was also easier, partially because of conflict ing estimates of foreign crops and needs, while exports from the United States were smaller than in the preceding week and particularly as to flour shipments There Is still a good showing in compari- son with earlier years 4,523, 40 bushels going out, against 4,183,603 in 1900 and 4,366, 645 two years ago.
 The great size of the domestic wheat crop this year is indicated by interior receipts of S,411775 bushels, against G. 1395S4 last year and 6,644113 in -oJ9 Cot ton was easier until the official report appeared when the new condition caused a sharp advance
 Failures this week numb Der 205 in the United States. against POS last year and 37 in Canada, against 23 last year.