The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-16
RE VIEW OF TRAD
IS favorable ; t:
Reports From All Parts of the Coun-.
try Satisfactory,
NO IMPORTANT PRICE CHANGES.
Iron and Steel Mills Are Far Bel n i
Orders, Structural Material anu
runway Supplies Being
Specially i'll De,nand.
NO IMPORTANT PRICE CHANGES.
lBr Assnciated Press.l

NEW YORK, Feb. 15.-R. g. Dun &
Company's weekly review of trade to-
morrow will say:
Business continues of good volume in
nearly all parts of the country, and re-
ports from the West and Southwest of a
satisfactory distribution of merchandise
by jobbers begin to have q familiar sound
Heavy orders come from agents on the
road. There is no important change IN
prices in any department of manufactured
goods, and some staples rise while others
decline, but the longer the situation re-
mains as at present the surer the bust
ness world feels about a rise in prices in
the future, for merchandise for prompt
consumption does not decrease.
Some progress has been made in the
direction of settlement of labor differences
in the far West and the situation among
soft coal miners is more amicabie.
The standard measures of business make
favorable comparisons. At some points
there are evidences of an inclination to
delay operations In iron and steel until
something definite is known regarding the
proposed combination, but this apples
only to small undertakings, which are
insignificant in comparison with the ur-
gent dealings that cannot be postponed.
BEHIND THEIR ORDERS.
Purchasers find difficulty in securing
even approximate dates for delivery of
goods in many products, and MS are
SO far behind orders, as a rule. that no
new contracts are sought Structural ma
terial and railway supplies are in greatest
request, numerous heavy orders being ac-
cepted this week at full prices Ihere Is
no inclination to shade finished forms,
and pig-iron at Pittsburg again advanced
No sign of weakness is apparent In any
department of the boot and shoe industry
Some manufac turers have booked orders
that will insure running on full time well
into May, and it is an exceptional case
where jobbers can secure March delivery
even from the smaller shops Statesmen
are returning from the West and South
with most cheering reports. and whlie
local iobbing is less brisk than last week,
there is no complaint.
Torwardings from Boston were Sl,45I
cases against 49, the previous week, al
though the total for two weeks is some
what smaller than the 1S5,06S cases shipped
last wear, the movement in 1900 was
heavier than in the corresponding tort
night of any other year.
THE TEXTILES.
News regarding the textile manufacture
is less encouraging despite the TACT that
the sales of wool rose TO 6,9I2.60O pounds,
far exceeds all recent records, showing
a. gain of 96O600 pounds over the same
week last year 1t was at this time in
1900 that the movement commenced to
fall off and the depression began Which
has continued ever since.
Cotton fabrics continue quiet, and DO
nestle mills are not fully occupied. i4lN-
erpool cables have given no support, While
Manchester is securing raw cotton from
India in unusually large quantities. These
influences caused d further decline IN
middling uplands.
Taking the price to the lowest point in
three months, exports in January were
s35, 924 against $2I,0S9 .251 in 1900, but the
increase was entirely due to an advance
of 90 cents a pound in the price, as the
quantity was lisp bales smaller
Wheat was advanced this week by re
ports of receipts at the mills unit Tor
grinding Flour output at Minneapolis
is much smaller than a year ago, ana a
decrease is expected. Atlantic exports OF
wheat, including flour, for the week We're
ATS 521 bushels against 1,529,333 last year
Failures for the week numbered 2o1 IN
the United States against 2lS last year.