The sun., 1901-03-23
RETAIL DEALERS BUSY.
Comment by Dun's Review on the
Business of the Week.
TEXTILE MARKET DULL YET
Special Reports Indicate That the
Winter Wheat Crop Is In 4oou
Condition, with Large Acrense
Planted In the Southwest.

New York, March OR. G. Dun u
Co.'s weekly review of trade says
The position of general business is
satisfactory, being marked TINS week
by increased activity of retail opera
tions throughout the west and III some
Atlantic seaboard cities, which Is con
sidered the forerunner Of generally
good spring trade. New enterprise Is
reflected in the largest demand Tor
many months for builders hardware
and general materials. ana contracts
for prompt delivery Of all structural
goods are very difficult to place. COL
lections are prompt, and railroad ton
mage is well maintained Earnings OF
all railroads for the month of March to
date show a gain of 10.S per cent over
last year and 36 per cent over 1899.
The gains extend to practically the
whole country. The textile industry
alone does not improve. Short times
has been adopted by Fall River cotton
mills, and there are reports that some
of the southern weaving mills are
about to curtail production. but this
has been without special effect upon
demand for either print cloths or
heavy brown cottons. There is salts
faction in the fact that prices have not
further declined this week. and by
some the market is called steadier on
| the current low basis.
Quotations of pig iron and finished
steel tend toward higher level. There
| is still the wholesome element of CON
| scrvatism, which prevents violent fiuc-
tuations and keeps the advance at q
moderate rate, but the tendency OF The
| market is undeniably toward better
| things. The most conspicuous strength
is apparent in bessemer pig, which now
| commands $1I at pittsburg. while steel
bllets have sold ut S24 and high car.
bon billets reached $50. Steel bars are
| 81 per ton higher, and structural shapes
are firmly maintained, with every eX.
pectation of an advance. While these
| quotations show moderate gains, much
| higher rates are paid for immediate
| delivery and in small amounts.
The Cotton Market.
Recent developments in the cotton
market have most thoroughly indorsed
the position taken earlier in the sea.
| son by Dun's review. At That time
this staple was artlicially supported
by speculation in defiance of every
legitimate influence for lower level
Spinning was being ovcr,lonc both here
aud abroad. aud efforts to advance til.
| finished product in proportion to the
higher raw material decreased sales
until wheels We're stopped by accumu
lation of goods. Exports in Februar!
We're 2T5,226 bales less than in thu
same month of 1900. aud the first hall
of March shows further loss in for
eign buying. The amount still coming
forward at the south indicates thai
plantation stocks are by no means eX
hausted, and preparation for the new
crop promises an enormous acreage
From the top point of the season tht
price has fallen SlS,45 IL bale and the
only apparent element of strength al
present is the oversod condition of tht
speculative market.
Leather is in good demand particu
larly for sole, hut quotations are I'M
changed, although stocks are light
Hides at Chicago have declined almoS
steadily for two months, the net fall il
the average of ten grades amounting I,
~ per cent. Despite the weakness il
domestic lines, foreign hides are tend
Ing upward.
Special reports telegraphed to Dun
: review this week Indicate that tn
winter wheat crop is in good condition
ana an unusually heavy acreage wa
planted at the southwest, while ray
ages by IlesSian fly have beer eXnl
gcrated.
Failures for the week numbered -
, in the United States against 1873 las
year and 33 i'll Canada against ~ las
year.