The times., 1901-03-16
DUN,s REVIEW OF TRADE.
Activity in Steel n Leading Feature
of the week.

NEW YORK, March 15.-Duns review
tomorrow will say:
Improving wheat crop reports, pig
iron production seldom exceeded, strong
cash prices for all iron and steel products
that can be delivered heavy grain ex-
ports at good prices. activity in minor in
dustries and a money market that i'm
poses no hardship upon business. comprise
the bright side of the picture of the week
''Threateni labor troubles seem more
remote The textile markets, long back
ward, have again failed to respond to
the general confidence in commercial cir
Giles. a slight recovery in cotton was not
held and the goods market showed a de
cline
That the country is doing a heavy busi-
ness appears from railroad earnings for
the first week in March. IA per cent in
excess of last year, and 25.6 per cent over
1899. as well as from bank exchanges. The
latter for New York this week are Al
per cent in excess of 1900.
steel mills are still much behind their
orders, and contracts for Bessemer pig
for July delivery indicate that the ac-
tiyity is not considered temporary. Yet
the wide difference in quotation between
I. immediate and distant dates suggests
some fear that present high prices can
not be maintained. While the various
pools and associations are extremely con-
servative about advancing nominal list
prices, actual business continues to be
transacted at premiums which vary ac-
cording to the urgency of purchasers.
Structural material is still feature
and the rapid development of nevI,, die
covered oil fields is creating an unusual
chinery. nc
Boot and shoe shops are well occupied
Eastern factories having their full capac-
ny engaged IN some cases up TO Septem-
Der /. ana even the less fortunate makers
have contracts for some months. Leather
IS active and well sustained especially
Tor hemlock sole. but production of glazed
hlu appears 10 nave oVertaken demand
SHght improvements in special lines
OF textiles are occasionally noticed. but
prices are maintained with difficulty
Print cloths We're reduced another eighth
without accelerating operations. and Fall
duction.
Aside from the little better recorder
business in light weights reports are NOT
OF an encouraging nature from the wooden
mills. Further declines are reported In
WOOL, making material fall since the
month opened.
After the long continued season of sag
Ging prices for cotton. the market seem
ed ready for reaction, and Mr. Neel's $
circular was Issued at what seemed TO be
a pGOplllouS moment. ISut IL fell fiat In
this country and the trifiing response at
Liverpool was brief
Heavy gains in railroad earnings are
the governing factor In stocks and this
week protected the market well under
bear attacks coupled with foreign sales
Investment buying has so greatly reduced
floating supplies of railroad stocks that
il is often difficult to execute buying
orders.
The bond market Is running short of
material, and issues newly admitted to in
vestment lists of savings banks have al
most disappeared from current offerings.
Less shifting of loans was attempted by
the banks this week. for disturbing syn
dicate operations were over. and heavy
mid-month dividend, payments yesterday
were effected without trouble. These pay
ments were over $4,000 600. The money
market was steady.
Failures for the week were 209 in the
United States against 1873 last week and
% in Canada, against % last year"