The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-30
DUN's REVIEW OF TRADE.
Cotton Goods StiII a Weak Point In
General Business.

NEW YORK. March 29.-Dun's weekly
review Of trade tomorrow will say:
THE condition of general business Is
in most respects satisfactory The dry
goods trade. and particularly the cotton
division, is gloomy. with further reduc-
tions in prices of staple goods this week
and demand failing to increase with the
shading of quotations; but from every
other department OF business reports are
cheerful. and the outlook for a good spring
retail turnover is encouraging.
"rtcro ir little difficulty Uver collections
in any direction, and the mercantile de-
mand for money from numerous quarters
is proof of the confidence felt among
manufacturers and jobbers. The labor
situation is more tranquil Mining differ
ences in the soft coal region are settled.
and sober counsels seem to have prevailed
among anthracite miners.
Railroad earnings in three weeks of
March show an increase of 10.2 per cent
over last year and 1913 per cent over 1893
Bank clearings for the week at New York
gained 404 per cent over 1900 and q per
cent over 1899. while at leading cities out
side New York the gain Is 800 per cent
over last year and 1871 per cent over 1893.
ASIDE from the expected advance In
structural shapes there Is comparative
steadiness In iron and steel. The rise of
about 81 per ton In angles. beams, and
other similar forms will not materially
affect the cost to large consumers. as con-
tracts for much OF the years tonnage had
been placed in anticipation of the new
rate. After more or less ADVANCE every
week for two months IL is gratifying to
find that Bessemer pig remained seven
days without alteration. The tone is firm
Prices of boots and shoes are we'll sus-
tanned without any quotable changes. Chi
cagO hides again average lower. the weak
ness being partly attributable to the ex-
tremely poor quality of offerings.
That bottom prices for wool has been
reached at last is evidenced by the grow
ing Unwillingness of holders TO make con-
cessions, the greater activity Of dealers.
and indications that purchases for specu-
latiOn are of considerable volume. Trans
actions show a material gain at the lead
ing markets. while shipments from Bos-
ton exceed those of preceding weeks. Eff
forts to secure even fractional advances
in quotations, however. end negotiations,
and steadiness is the best that can be
said of this staple.
ut was not possible to maintain the
small recovery late last week in raw cot
ton, and subsequent reaction established
a new low record for the crop year. While
the decline has been severe. mills are not
ready to purchase freely and foreign buy
ing for the month is far below last years.
Efforts will be made to prevent the
enormous acreage meditated. but unparaI-
leled sales of fertilizers have already oc-
CURED. Even granting o large yield. how
ever there is good reason TO hope that the
weakness will soon be checked by the bet
ter demand which should result from the
attractive terms at which spinners can
now secure raw material.
Wheat did not respond to rumOrs of
damage but found reason for strength in
Atlantic exports. including flour, I'm four
weeks, Of II ,4a2 9iI bushels against 6.Ofs 1852
in 1890. Stock speculation this week was
very active. and the market had Il healthy
movement.
Exchange was stronger and Il smaller
amount of gold was shipped TO Europe on
q special operation. Foreign commerce at
the port of New York continues unsatis-
factory. In three weeks exports of mer-
Chandise show a loss OF 81. 53I SOB. COM
pared with the same time last year, while
imports increased 1888. 9l6.
Failures for the week numbered 200 in
the United States, against 203 last year,
and % In Canada. against % last year