The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-01
WEEK IN WORLD Of TRADE
NOTWITHSTANDING STRIKE OF
THE MACHINdsTs, COMMERCIAL
ACTIVITY CONTINUES
IRON MASTERS KEPT BUSY
Mills Working Up to Their Limit.
and New Ones Being Started
better Report From Tex
tile Industry

NEW YORK, May 31-R G. DIM r.
Co.'S weekly review of trade tono,.rory
Will say: While the weather in the East
has hampered distributive- trade To
considerable extent this week, rendering
the trade in some lines rather unsa lis.
factory, the West and South report un
changed conditions, with operations VOL
up to the recent average. 1t is the $50
son Wnen crop damage rumors are always
heard and they have come from New
YORK quarters, but probably in large mart
owe their origin to speculation. There "a
nothing as yee cause any modifica-
ton Of the gC$ al estimates made re-
Gently and founded upon the special re-
turns from correspondents of r G. Dun
q Co. The labor situation is a uttIa
brighter. Many strikes have been set
tied, and others are expected to terminate
shortly
Iron and steel mills are working at
run capacity, and more new plants have
been put in operation. Quotations are
well maintained, without any effort TO
secure advances. Farming machinery is
a feature of the domestic business. and
there is no sign of decrease in the ax-
port movement Of these products. which
has attained enormous proportions
Rails are also going out freely to Aus
tralia and South America Railways
are unable to secure sufficient freight
cars and other supplies, while structural
work proceeds briskly, with little inter-
ruption from labor controversies.
There is little less activity among
manufacturers Of boots and shoes. some
OF the smaller plants reducing time or
closing down, ostensibly for the purpose
of taking stock. Inventories Would
easily wait another month, however. if
orders were abundant. Statesmen in the
West and South are sending good orders
Tor fall delivery, but the local iobbing
trade has received a setback from the
continuous rain. Leather Is still strong
and active for heavy sole and high
priced upper stock, and offal has been
freely taken for export. Medium grades
are quiet with less demand than for ex-
IRENE qualities. Shipments Of boots and
shoes from Boston have shown the ex-
pected decrease from the phenomenally
large figures of recent preceding weeks,
but are still very heavy, and since Jan
exceed last years by about 70, 600 cases.
Extended holidays abroad and a Snort
one in this country have tended to make
the grain markets unusually Quiet, while
corn has had the added drawback of
hesitation among traders who have not
yet recovered from tine effects of manipu-
lation in the May option. Foreign pur-
chasers were driven out of this market
by Inflated quotations, as shown by At
lantic exports in five weeks of only
S.4ee,285 bu against II, S41, 065 hu last year.
and 3D. 433,S18 blu in the same weeks Of
1899. Each reaction In wheat is quickly
followed by recovery and much support
IS found in gloomy reports from grow
ing sections. insufficient moisture and
low temperature are the chief causes of
complaint, and injury from insects is
also rumored, but there is always more
or less loss through these influences,
and the splendid condition earlier in the
season gives reason to hopo for an
abundant yield.
Misfortune has also overwhelmed cot
ton plantations, according to the pessi-
nnstic views circulated by traders and
factors who are endeavoring to sustain
prices In the face of heavy receipts ana
unsatisfactory conditions at New Eng
land mills, where print cloths have been
sharply reduced to 29s in order to dispose
of the accumulation, which Is said to
reach 100000 pieces.
Heavy brown goods have steadied
under better Chinese inquiry, but local
retail and jobbing trade Is restricted by
unfavora Bile weather. Although 1t is be-
tween seasons with the silk trade there
is good demand and available stocks
of the more desirable lines are reported
light. The ribbon trade continues brisk
despite lowering skies. Carpets and up,
holsteries improve, and in staple clothing
woolens there is more activity This
brings out raw wool more freely, but
there is not sufficient demand to advance
prices in the face of heavy stocks and
large new clip coming forward. In
fact, the accumulation Of supplies has
had a distinctly depressing influence and
in the Philadelphia market quotations
are perceptibly easier. The decline ex-
tends to the entire list Of domestic woods,
although not more than cent in any
grade.
Failures for the week numbered 14S
in the United States against 100 last year,
and u in Canada against 90 last year.