The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-16
CONTINUES TO IMPROVE
TRADE l. GROWS BETTER
WITH THE PASSING WEEKS.
Previous High Records within Easy
Reach, Except i'm One or Two Lines
"Details of the Movement.

NEW YORK. March 15.-R. G.. Dun &
Co.'S Weekly Review of Trade tomorrow
will say: Improving wheat crop reports, a
pig iron production seldom excelled. strong
cash prices for all iron and steel products
that can be delivered. heavy grain exports
at good prices, activity in minor industries
and a money market that imposes no hard
ship upon business comprise the bright side
Of the picture of the week. Threatening Ia
Dor troubles seem more remote. The textile
markets, long have again failed
to respond to the general confidence in COM
mercial circles. A slight recovery in cotton
was not held and the goods market shows
a further decline for the month.
Steel mills are still behind their orders.
and contracts for bessemer pig for July de-
livery indicate that the activity is not con-
sidered temporary. Yet the wide difference
in quotations between immediate and dis
tant dates suggests some fear that present
high prices cannot be maintained. While
the various pools and associations are ex-
tremely conservative about advancing nomi-
inal list prices, actual business continues
to be transacted at premiums which vary
according to the urgency of purchasers.
Structural material is still a feature, and
the rapid development of newly-discovered
oil fields is creating an unusual demand for
plates. pipes and drilling machinery. Steel
rail contracts have been increased and rail-
ways need rolling stock. Pig iron produc-
ton, according to the Iron Age, has in
creased to 292. S99 tons weekly, which is
about 5000 tons below the high record OF
Feb. /, 1900. 1t is surprising TO find, despite
an output at the rate of over 100000 tons
annually, that furnace stocks decreased H.
526 tons during February, making the total
Nh AK tons on March /. against bU. OIL IONS
five months ago.
Boot and shoe shops are well occupied,
Eastern factories having their full capacity
engaged. in some cases up TO Sept. l, and
even the less fortunate makers have con-
tracts for some months. Leather is active
and well sustained, especially for hemlock
sole. Light improvements in special lines
of textiles are occasionally noticed, but
prices are maintained with difficulty. Print
cloths were reduced another eighth with
out accelerating operations, and Fail RIVER
mills are preparing TO curtail production.
Wool has declined, and, aside from a little
better recorder business in woolens, reports
from the mills are not encouraging.
Bradstreets review tomorrow will say:
Cotton goods are duh and droopy at first
hands, partly because of the steady decline
In raw cotton, hc on spot for the week, and
21sc from the highest prices reached on the
| present boom, but still 11ac over the low
price of 1900 and &c above the low price of
1899, previous TO that years rise. Print
cloths are 1sc off for the week and sc off
from a year ago, and talk of curtailment
grows louder. Low prices are, however,
stimulating export inquiry, and some bust
ness is being done for China. Wool is in
larger sale and foreign markets are quite
strong. Eastern stocks are said to be small
and declining, and the situation is gradu-
ally readjusting itself. In the goods market
plain dress goods are moving steadily,
while fancies are neglected. Fall sales of
mems wear goods have been disappointing.
Wheat Qncluding -four shipments for
the week aggregated 1888. 939 bu, against
4.229,5 SIS blu last week. III. $50 in the CORE
spending week of 1900 and 4,114,046 in 1899.
From July / to date, wheat exports were
143, 81. 456 blu. against al, 316.s16 last season,
and III. DDS. 741 in 1889. Corn exports for
| the week aggregate 3.246. SIS blu. against g.
$50, 1877 last week. 1923, POI in this week a
to date, corn exports were 139, 800. 135 bu,
against 149, 534, 129 last season, and 121, 1873
in 1S9S-99.
Failures for the week were 29 in the
United States, against 100 last year.