The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-01-02
DUN'S REVIEW OF
THE YEARS TRADE.
Satisfactory Conditions in
Nearly all Lines.

New York, Dec 81 -Dun's review
in it's summary, reviewing the busl.
ness of the year just closed. will say
regarding the leading markets /:
Conditions in iron and steel during
1900, were much more sound than in
the preceding year when speculation
was rife aud prices inflated far be
you'd the bounds of reason
Statistics Of the weekly capacity
OF furnace and blast show that the
highest point an record was reached
Feb l, while there was little dimuni-
ton during the next few months.
But, With the collapse of speculation
during the spring, aud relaizstion Of
the fact that operations had been
overdone, there came steady reduc
ton 10 output From 296 furnaces
10 blast on Feb l, there followed q
continual shutting down until but
20l were in operation on Nov /, and
the weekly production decreased 49,.
TO tons Even 1t this rspid rate of
declining output, stocks accumulated
with rattling rapidiiy and on Oct 1,
the top was reached 670,53l tons
Business conditions we're satlsfac.
tory, however, the demand expanded,
while reports of finished products
grew very heavy when prices reach
ed level tha. made competition
possible with British and German
producers In two months, ending
Dec l, furnace stock of pig iron de
creased 113 895 tons, and the tone
was so much improved that many
idle furnaces resumed
Manufactured articles have moved
along similar lines Quotations of
iron and steel products at the begin
ming of she year was little below the
level prevailing 13 years previous
and the fall was almost uninterrupted
until October, when the average was
but 50 63 per cent. of the figures pre-,
vailing January /. 1887
The year 1900 opened with favor
able conditions prevailing in nearly
every branch of the dry goods trade
The home demand continued good
for the fret three months and then
fell awsy until by June the market
had lapsed into pronounced dullness
aud from Q steady upward course ia
prices began to gradually decline
again The srrest of buying was re
markable. In woolen goods ssocks
began to accumulate again and their
course up to the close of the year had
shown pronounced weakness in both
men's wear fabrics and dress goods,
with the result that the gain in prices
made last year and in the early part
of this has been lost in many direc.
tions, and where any retained ct all
is of limited extent.
4 sudden demand from China for
heavy brown cottons in May, the 6rst
purchase made for that market In sev.
eral montbe, was unfortunately
checked By the outbreak of the
Boxer rising, and since then there
has been an entire suspension Of buy.
ing from that country In Sep'en
Der aDo:her stimulus was given TO cot
ton goods by the rapid advance in raw
material which followed the Calves.
ton disaster and snort crop pred:c-
tions. Prices assumed tbc!: upward
course, and market ruled strong sgsln
un,i! the ED of October when there
was another lu! in the demand.
stocts had. however, been we'll
cleaned up as rule. and although
some of tho staple lines have eased
off slightly, fairly steady tone has
since prevailed
The prosperous condition Of the
cotton goods trade last year and the
earIy part of this has had marked
effect upon the cotton industry in the
south ,reviving the boom in mil bald
ing which previous depression had
checked. A number of new mills
have been added, and many moro are
in course of erection 1t ls probable
th.t when the years statistics are
complied they will show the addition
of nearly 10000 spindles TO 'he
productive capacity of the south
After advancing from l8 OIL cents
as the average of one hundred grades
CT wool reported by coaiand &
Brothers On May to - 20 ia De-
Gerber, 1899, 1t was only natural
thss .he 1900, should witness severe
reaction and returs 60 = mure normal
level The decline was gradual. and
the yesi closed about - per cent
below the top point touched twelve
mcu.hs previous
TIE cjosing yea' of the century
was remarkably satisfactory one Tor
farmers sne planters. uotvlths'sud
ing the fsct tina. some scslous
harvested smaller craps than in pre-
49,,