Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-04
DUN'S REVIEW OF TRADE.


Co.'S Weekly Review of Trade to-mor-
| row will say:
The most activity ever seen in Wall
/ street diverts attention in measure
from progress in distributing and man
| ufacturing operations. But while on
every hand stock market interests are
counseling caution and attempting to
prove that prices are really more than
condition OF some of our railroads war
| rant the fact remains that without a
brilliant crop outlook and a great ac-
tivity of general trade, Wall street
| could hold no such carnival. Labor
difficulties are fewer and less threaten
ing than for several years before in
the first week of May and prices of
| merchandise mold well.
Stability of prices and vigorous pros
ecution OF work at mills indicate the
wholesome condition of the iron and
steel market. Throughout the entire
! range of products of this industry the
current demand for immediate delivery
exceeds all previous records, yet max
ers maintain a conservative position
| and prices are not pushed up to the
| danger point. 1t is at the finishing
! steel plants that there is the. greatest
| urgency for shipments and full capaci-
/, ty is assured for the next three months.
After July there is a prospect of re-
| spite, judging by the light engag ements
OF pig iron and, following the unparal-
leled activity of the past six months, a
| season of comparative quiet would not
| be surprising nor unwelcome.
There was rush to get in orders for
steel rails before the higher price be-
| came effective and the erection of new
office buildings provide a great demand
| for structural material, which is also in
considerable request on foreign con-
| tracts.
Dizziness is still reported in the tex
| tiles. A further reduction to 256 cents
| for standard print cloths did not &C
celerate operations as buyers appear
confident that goods will soon be avail
able at 212c. This unsatisfactory con-
dition of the manufacturer is not help
| full to raw elton nor is there support
in better prospects for the next crop
and port receipts far in excess of last
years movement. Still there is feel
ing that the decline has gone far
enough and this negative influence
holds the market fairly steady.
There is no improvement in woolens
and Coates Bros. average of 100 quo
tatious of wool on May 1st was III
cents against 1899 on April list and
22.76 a year ago. Small concessions
are reported in few grades OF shoes
and in other cases manufacturers are
making slightly better goods at old fig
| ures. Western jobbers are ordering
| more freely and shipments from eastern
shops are larger than in the previous
week or a year ago. Leather is quiet
aside from activity in betting but fur
, Their advances were secured in the GER
cal market, Chicago spectators being
| forced to cover May contracts at 90
cents. Attractive prices brought more
liberal receipts at interior cities and
also stipulated operations on the farm.
| Traders have forced the next crop OPP
tons TO what seems an unreasonable
| level, SINCE there is evidence of a large
yield despite delayed planting through
| excessive moisture. Wheat also attain
| ed a high point, advancing in SYM
| patty with corn. According to cor
respondents of R. G. Dun & Co., there
| is reason to expect heavy spring
crop this year. In the principal States
| full acreage has been planted and
| the weather is most favorable for ger
| mination On the Pacific coast and in
other domestic spring wheat sections
as we'll as in Manitoba, a larger area
than usual is devoted to raising wheat
this year.
The marvelously healthy condition of
| business is best appreciated when it is
discovered that the defaults last month
were the smallest in 81 months, with
| the exception of May TO August, 1899.
inclusive. In manufacturing lines there
| were but 161 failures with a total in
debtedness of s1,Ss7 1874, against IT'S
last year for s4,514 003 AS 1899 report
ed the smallest liabilities of any full
year in two decades, last months good
showing is made manifest by default
in manufacturing concerns s777.965
smaller than two years ago, Trading
| failures were 500 for s316S,S23 and
banking defaults were s529. 600 The
death rate was only three-iftieths of
one per cent of all firms in business
and losses averaged s4.70; not a SER
ious embarrassment to general trade.
The proportion of unpaid bills was less
than IS cents for each 81 goo of solvent
payments through clearing houses. No
matter in what hight the April record
may be viewed, it makes an exhibit that
cannot tail TO give encoUra cement.