The age-herald., 1901-08-03
WEEKLY REVIEW
 OF GENERAL TRADE Copious Rains Throughout West Cause Cheerful Feeling ACTIVITY IN IRON MARKET Finished Products Are as Active as Ever and the Sar Mills Are Filled
 Up With orcers For
 the Year.
ACTIVITY IN IRON MARKET

New York. August 2-Bradstreet's to- morrow will say:
 Copious rains through the western half of the country have had the expected eff feet of inducing a more cheerful tone and the feeling is decidedly more hopeful than it was week or two ago. Rains practi- cally insured large spring wheat crop, | and although the damage already done appears to have been serious, Judging from the strength of the corn market it. self and the advices of heavily reduced yields which are reiterated from the sec tons affected. Bradstreet's advices point to the early corn crop as practically 1 failure in the leading surplus producing 1 States west of the Mississippi. but late corn undoubtedly has been saved and as time elapses estimates of production are being raised.
 From the rest of the country trade ad- vices are in the main quite cheerful. and dspite the intense heat and drouth of July an extraordinarily large business ap- pears to have been done, which is reflect ed in the bank clearings for that month Cotton crop conditions improved in the | South as result of the recent rains, and trade advices are correspondingly more cheerful. Pacific coast crop advices are also better, although shipping activity Is interferred with at San Francisco by a strike. The Northwest will produce crops largely in excess of last year and a heavy fall trade is anticipated in that section. The poorest advices naturally came from the Central West and Southwest, but it is | ut~ report that cancellations have stopped and that the outlook is much better.
 The woolen mills are filled with orders for fall delivery and the spring wheat season has opened encouragingly. Wool is being taken in liberal amounts by the manufacturers and is firm, as Is also the London market, at which buying for America is reported liberal Sugar Is ir- regular and rather slower in demand. Lumber is rather quiet In sympathy with the advanced stage of the season, but prices for white pine are firmly held. !
 Prospects for the ending of the steel strike and the better tone of crop advices have made the iron and steel trade more cheerful For the first time in some weeks special activity Is noted in the cruder forms. due to the buying of 10000 tons of Bessemer and basic pig iron by the largest single interest. Finished products are as active as ever at all leading markets. Bar mills are reported filled up with orders to the end of the year.
 Shoe manufacturing is active despite some midsummer quiet in selling direc- tions and leather is strong, particularly for heavy varieties of sole. Hides are steady at the East and tend upward at Philadelphia and Western points.
 It has been another weather market for the cereals. Following the break of last week, however, wheat and oats ap- pear to have diverged from corn prices. The natural reaction due to liquidation has weakened wheat, aided by good spring wheat crop reports, record-breaking re- ceipts of new winter wheat and the turn in the tide of visible supplies, which have begun to increase after steady decreases for six onths past.
 The foreign crop situation appears no better, and reiterated advices of damage to the French crop come this week, color being given to this by the continued act i've export demand. Corn, after the sharp break of last week, has steadied up and near the close of the week was close to the highest point reached on all legged confirmation of damage caused by the recent hot spell previous to the breaking of the drouth.
 Conservative Western estimates point to a crop not exceeing 1,600, ,000,0 900 bushels. Oats have weakened with wheat and flour is also weak and lower
 Wheat, including flour, shipments for the week aggregate 6,463, ,3s1 bushels, against 6,974,526 last week, 3.327, ,003 in the corresponding week of 1900, 4,7l1.614 Tn 1899 and 4,111,312 in 1S98 From July to date the shipments aggregate 26, 6,200- 372 as against 13562,5 595 last season and r, ,255, ,914 in 1S99-1900.
 Business failures for the week were 160, against 199 last week. ITO this week 8 year ago 156 in 1899 1S9 In 1898 and PA in 1SH
 Canadian failures for the week number IS, against 32 lst week nd 29 In this week year ago.