The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-09
TRADES HOLDING IT'S OWN
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WOOL
EMS, MANUFACTURERS IN ALL
LINES ARE BUSY
is LITTLE PRESSURE TO SELL
Situation In Iron and Steel Is Es-
peciaIIy Strong, With Furnaces
and Mills Generally
Sold Ahead.

NEW YORK, Feb. S.-R. G. Dun & Co.'S
weekly review of trade tomorrow will
say: More SeaSonable weather in the
Fast has brought up the volume of bust
ness in retail lines a little this week, and
at the West and South distribution of
merchandise is on a satisfactory scale.
Prices of staple products show but
moderate decline, and quotations of man
ufactured goods are steady in all direc-
tions. Pressure to sell is everywhere Coz
spicuously absent. Jobbers report good
orders for spring goods, particularly for
Western trade, and the only complaint
still comes from the wooden goods mar
ket in the East, which has not yet felt
the expected stimulus. Ii this line how
ever, prices do not decline and agents
expect better conditions
SITUATION IN STEEL.
Large operations in stocks of leading
steel companies do not affect the volume
of business or the prices of their pro-
ducts as yet, and probably will have
no material influence in the future. Quo
tations will depend on the relation of sup
ply to demand, which at present gives an
undertone of great strength. This is
most evident in b!llets, which cannot be
secured at the pool price. While former
quotations are nCminally in force, it
would require a material advance to Sc
in notably brisk demand, and it is i'm
possible to secure prompt delivery of
any finished steel at PittsbITg. Chicago
makers also have orders far ahead and
at all leading points the placing of new
business is linited to small contracts.
BesSemer pig is firm at the recent ad-
vance to $3.50, although no large sales
are reported. Cut nails have followed tt e
lead of wire nails, advancing 81 per ton,
while many other forms are expected to
be put on a higher level
FOOTWEAR.
Activity in footwear continues, job1e1s
placing large contracts at well sustained
prices. No alterations are reported in
quotations, but there is some evidence
of slight reduction in quality, purchasers
refusing to advance their figures and ac-
ccptlng somewhat lower grades instead
This appears to be practically equivalent
to rise in prices. The large number OF
buyers in the Boston market indicates
that heavy contracts will be placed, in
sur-ng busy shops for many months
LOCAL jobbing and retail trade was helIed
by seasonable weather, notably rubber
footwear.
TEXTILES.
Textile industries do not re-
Nive appreciably, even the lower temper
ature failing to infuSe life into woolens
aside from better retail dealings Manu-
facturers make small purchases of raw
material showing preference for the
cheaper grades, and even then insisting
on small concessions. London auction
operations became less satisfactory as
the sale progressed. Cotton goods are
uniformly dull, with some labor contro-
VERSES added 10 the other troubles at
the mills. Another reduction in the aver
age price of raw silk makes a loss of
nearly 81 per pound since Jan. /, 1900.
Spot cotton lost an eighth on Monday
and another Gil Tuesday, making the de-
cline $3.50 a ba,e within a week
Wheat fell below so cents ample snow
affording the desired protection in WIN
ter wheat states, while the chief sup
port was a better inquiry on foreign ac-
count, including moderate purchases for
Spain. Atlantic exports for the week
including flour were 2,S74,111 bu, against
2,241 ,4O2 in the week preceding, ard 2,115,-
SO year ago. Corn is quiet, maintains
Ing an advance of over &c compared with
the same date last year
Failures for the week were 269 in the
United States, against 245 last year. and
30 in Canada against SO last year.