Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-03-07

R.G. Dun n Co. Is Review Of Saturday
says; 'Jobbing trade In groceries. hard
ware and iron specialties has further
gained in volume in the East since our
last report, and retail business has been
good, except for q slow movement OF
some descriptions OF dry goods, notably
clothing, OF which dealers fear they
must carly over unusually large stocks.
liz the West and Southwest, however,
the season has been satisfactory. The
greatest Industrial combination ever
atrarged--that providing for the union
OF the leading steel interests Inns not
directly affected business as vet, and
may not do 30, otherwise than by re.
moving some Of the Unnecessary com.
petition from the industry.
Meanwhile rriees OF commodities
decline slightly. Dun's index number
OF 100 quotations, made up with due
reference to the comparative Importance
OF the amounts Consumed, Ia o., 1888 az
OF March Let, Hgainst 50, 1l0 February
lat, loss OF one seventh OF ! per cent.
hut the decline In clothing was the
main cause Of the lower average, mors
than otfsetting advances in lumber,
building materials, metals and many
minor commodities Rsilroad earnines
thus far reported for February exceed
last year by 80 per cent and those OF
1893 by 35.3 per cent. The daily average
OF bank exchanges for Fobruary was
81 per cent over 1000 and 10. Q above
1893. Foreign exchange ruled firm,
without much variation. The supply
OF new commercial bills was small, but
the inquiry for remittance was also
light, consisting chiefly Of buying OF
coupons held abroad and due March
LIST. Foreign trade ut this port for three
weeks showed a material loss compared
with last year, exports falling OF
e6, 1862, a42, while Imports Decreased
%, 02l, 107. This appears to indicate a
less satisfactory trade balance for the
month, unless lighter exports Of cotton
from the South at lower prices are
more than balanced by heavier ship
ments OF grain and iron products =
bradstreet'a saya: TRADE rep1rta
from distributiye centres at the West
continue encouraging, while such
measures Of trade volume as bsnk
.clearings and railway earnings Indicate
considerable gain in business over q
year ago. Soft apotsn are, OF course,
to be. found, notably 10 the manu-.
featuring branches OF the cotton aud
she wool trade. but adyioes from the
dry goods and clothing distributors are
encouraging, aud It Is thought will
help business. A revival 10 export
trade in cuttone 10 Noted among the
encouraging features IN this line.
lin the greatest OF the country,s in
dustry. iron and steel, new boom has
apparently been born, and the lumber,
leather and shoe. trades are oil actively
eogaged, The best repoi ia as 10 dis.
trihption come from the West ard
Southwest. ~ is to be uoted that 1T.
Louis reports business excellent In dry
gocds, clothing and shoes, and the Same
IS true OF Kansas City. In those two
cities, IN fact, business Is ahead OF last !
year. Personal orders for dry goods |
at Chicago have exceeded expectations.
based Upon small orders to road sales. |
men, Trade on the Pacific coast Is still |
good, although rains have interfered |
with trade in California, while helping |
the already good crop prospects. ~
Tbs strength OF iron and steel this |
week recalls the boom of 1899. II IL |
probable, too that the broad and strong |
consumptive demand and not the opern. |
tionJ OF pools or cliques Is Responsible
for the steady advances. Practically |
all markets. report lion and steel higher
but special activity is noted at Pitts.
burg, birmingham and Chicago. An
mills are reported we'll supplied with
orders: Despite the fact that export
trade in crude materials particularly il
small with industrially well advanced
countries o good movement to other
countries is noted. a sample of this ID
the order for 40, 600 tons Of So pound
rails reported from Ecuador, and orders
and Africa, " ct TsAA