The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-04-09
Rradstreet's Report

New York. April 5.-Bradstreets to-
morrow Will say:
Speculative activity, seeking express
sion in the markets for securities. cere-
ais, raw cotton and some hog products,
has rather tended to obscure interest
in general distributive trade. which
has. however. been temporarily disturb
ed in retail lines at least by wide
spread unfavorable weather conditions.
While the general tendency OF
this speculation has been bullish.
a marked exception was tina
furnished by bearish movements
in wheat and corn which has
lowered the level OF these products for
the time being. The general consensus
is that retail Easter trade has been to
some extent curtailed by rains in h
cities and by bad roads i'm the county,,
districts. but as above noted, these are
really only temporary phase, and the
as to spring trade as a whole. Is in u
high degree encouraging.
The textile trade continue a source
or encouragement to manufacturers.
but the strength of raw cotton despite
some recurring weakness, shows that.
at present prices, which are &c above
last week, that staple has developed
some friends.
Liquidation of tired holders in wheat
and a drive against the leading Chica-
go bull interests in corn have brought
about a lower range of values, but 10
is worth noting that a heavy export
business has been done in wheat at the
decline, and both of these cereals close
above the lowest. The statistical stu
alton of lard has been instrumental in
bringing about a sharp rise, sympa-
thized in by other hog products.
1t is hard to see how iron and steel
trade conditions could be improved
f~xz ~ "a
mand is large, prices are strong, and
in raw and finished lines the outlook is
regarded as very satisfactory. Price
advances have been largely confined to
finished products, the features being
an advance Of 81 per ton in plates az
Chicago and OF 81 In steel hoop prices
at Pittsburg. Southern iron is strong.
and the change in this branch of trade
is well illustrated by the fact that some
old export orders are being shipped at
a price "a per ton lower than those now
ruling. Iron ore rates ave not yet
been announced, but contracts for Bes-
semer pig are being made freely for de-
livery two or three months ahead.
Western bar, billet and rod manufac-
turers are booked SO far ahead that
they are practically out Of the market,
and eastern manufacturers are consid-
ering advances. Western agricultural
implement men complain of tardy de-
l. "ll1 10, to"csGEp stiy "
of the trade as a whole, and some man.
ufacturers are buying as far ahead al
December next.
Weather conditions, except i'm the
northwest. have been rather unfavoT-
able to planting and ground prepare
ton. This is particularly true In the
south, where cotton planting is retard-
ed. Heavy fertilizer shipments point
to a large increase in acreage In the
south Atlantic states. On the other
hand. heavy SHOWS in Nebraska and no
less heavy rains in the central west
have benefited winter wheat prospects,
which in Kansas, Nebraska and Mis-
souri, are reported excellent. Ohio's
wheat condition shows marked i'm
porvement over last year. In Califor-
MIA weather conditions have not been
favorable, and ~deciduous fruits have
been hurt by frosts.
Business failures in the United
States for the week numbered fss,
against 1s9 last week. 1s2 in this week
a year ago. 100 In 1899. go In 1898 n
232 in 1897.