The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-03-16
TEXTILES svAooER ALONG IN REAR.
Fear limited of Coming Drop in steel. The
Prices Now Very Strong.
(By the Associated Press.

| that can De delivered heavy grain eX-
| port at GOOD prices, activity in minor
| Industries, ana money market that I'M
| poses no hardship upon business, comprise
| the bright side of the picture of the
week. threatening labor troubles seem
| more remote. The textiles long back
| ward, have again failed to respond to the
| general contdepce in commercial circles.
| slight recovery in cotton was not held
| and the goods market shows a decline
in a month from 81 to 515 cents in stand
| ard brown sheetings % to q cents in
wide sheetings, 81 to 51a in brown drills,
| and 81 to 5A cents in staple ginghams.
"Steel mills are still much behind their
| orders, and contracts for Bessemer pig
| for July delivery indicate that the activity
| is not considered temporary. Yet the
wide difference in quotation between i'm
mediate and distant dates suggests some
| fear that present high prices cannot be
maintained. While the various pools and
associations are extremely conservative
about advancing nominal list prices.
actual business continues to be transacted
at premiums which vary according to the
| urgency or purchasers. Strutuoral ma
terial is still a feature and the rapid
development of newly discovered oil fields
is creating an unsual demand for plates,
pipes and drilling achinery. Steel rail
| contracts have been increased and rail-
ways need rolling stock.
'Slight improvements in special lines
of textiles are occasionally noticed but
prices are maintained with difficulty.
Print cloths were reduced another eighth
without accelerating operations, and
Fall River mills are preparing to curtail
production. Heavy brown cottens have
been depressed and reduced output is
probable in this division. Aside from a
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 a
material fall since the month opened. At
the last concession Boston holders exhibit
an inclination to refuse bids and there
is more indication of steadiness than
previously this season.
after the long continued season of
sagging prices for cotton the market
seemed ready for a reaction, and Mr..
Neills circular was issued at what
seemed to be propitious moment. But it
fell fiat in this country and the trifling
response at Liverpool was brief. Predic-
tions Of a visible supply of only 100000
bales at the end of the crop year, and re-
quirements exceeding ten million bales
are not endorsed by the course of do
nestle spinners, who have materially re-
duced their takings, or by the heavily
decreased foreign demand Moreover the
estimate that the current yield would not
exceed 9,750,000 bales is open to question
in view of the amount already in sight
The decline from the top prices of the
season now amounts TO $16.25 per bale,
taking the quotation 1892 below the level
a year ago.
Failures for the week are 200 in the
United States, against 1870 last year and
SO in Canada, against % last year"
TESTERS COTTON STATEMENT.
New Orleans, La, March 15.-Secretary
Hester's statement of the worlds visible
supply of cotton issued today shows the
total visible to be 4,063, AGO bales, against
4,055, 1856 bales last week and 8, 719,S29
bales last year. OF this the total of
American cotton is 9,O51 AGO bales, against
8 ,O56, $50 bales last week and 3,009, S29
bales last year and of all other kinds,
including Egypt, Brazil India, etc, l.
V"0tVVV
900 bales.
OF the worlds visible supply there is
now af1oat and held in Great Britain and
continental Europe 100000 bales,
against / ,926. 900 bales last year; in
! Egypt III ,00O bales, against $4,000 bales
in India $4,000 bales, against $4,000
bales, and in the United States 1,464000
bales, against 1,279,OO0 bales.
Secretary Hester's weekly statement is
sued today shows the amount of cotton
brought into sight during the past week
to be 155, sos bales, against 1872, 1877 bales
for the seven days ending this date last
year, and 143, 9S3 bales year before last.
For the Is days of March it has been
1886, 557 bales, against 312,732 bales last
year, and 296, 1853 bales year before last
The total movement for the 1876 days
of the season is S5S5,479 bales, against
1902, O29 bales last year, and 9749, III
| bales year before last
The movement since September list
| shows receipts at all United States ports
G, 1872 024 bales against 5,S48, 1863 bales
last year, and 1922, 1876 bales year before
| last overland across the Mississippi,
Ohio and Potomac Rivers to Northern
mills and Canada 933, 2O9 bales, against
$50, SCI bales and 1,126,765 bales; interior
| stocks in excess of September LIST 559,227
bales, against 141, 1872 bales and S50,244
bales.
Foreign exports for the week have been
| 155,94S bales, against 1877 bales last
year, making the total thus far for the
| season 4.7S0,976 bales, against 4,937 743
bales last year.
The total takings of American mills,
North and South and Canada thus far for
| the season have been 2,561,943 against
3,O03,249 bales last year.
Stocks at the Seaboard and the 20 lead
ing Southern interior centres have de-
creased during the week 61,2OS bales,
against a decrease during the correspond
ing period last season of 50,614 bales.
Including stocks left over at ports and
| interior towns from the last crop, and
the number of bales brought into sight
thus far for the new crop, the supply
to date is S,7Os,O1S bales, against S,65O,927
bales last year.