The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-06
DUN's REVIEW OF TRADE.
The Steel and Iron Demands show
No Sign of Decrease

NEW YORK. April 5.-Dun's weekly re-
view of trade tomorrow will say:
While the general business world has
looked with amazement at the perform
ance of the stock market. trade has main
tained its even course and there are many
more points of gain than of loss, with
even a slightly steadier tone in the dry
goods market. There some sellers have
withdrawn offers at recent low prices.
though buying is small as yet.
Collections in all lines are unusually
prompt. and in the building trades con-
tracts have been entered into sufficient
to furnish a decided impetus in allied
liT:5s during the spring season. Dun's
index number of the average prices of
commodities, with quantities taken &C
cording to the per capita consumption.
was s949.10 on April /, as against 1886
March ], and an analysis of the changes
for the month is unusually instructive.
"Breadstuffs and provisions rose dairy
and garden products declined. and cloth
ing fell off per cent. Metals rose l per
cent. Railway earnings continue to gain.
Roads reporting for March thus far in
creased 101 per cent over last year and
1874 per cent over 1899. For the first quar-
ter of the year the gains are 9S and 3I.3
per cent.
'At New York for the week bank clear
ings gained AIS per cent over 1900 and Is
per cent over 1899 while at leading cities
outside New York the gain is los per
cent over 1900 and 14.5 over 1899 No sign
of lessening demand is perceptible in any
branch of the iron and steel industry.
Mills are accepting contracts for the
closing months of the year and there is
every indication that 1901 will surpass all
records in the quantity of pig iron con-
sumed by manufacturers.
Shipments of boots and shoes from
Boston are steadily increasing. the last
weeks movement reaching 94.45S cases.
against 1896 in the previous week. The
circular of Coates Bros. on April / made
the average of 100 grades of wool 1873
cents, a decline of nearly a cent since
March l and 51z cents compared with
April. 1900. During the past two weeks,
however, the market has steadied and
there is much more trading. Moderate
buying is done by worsted mills.
After declining within sixteenth of
4 cents. 1t was not surprising to see cot
ton recover half a cent. The oversold
condition of the speculative market was
chiefly responsible and Southern de-
spatches gave support by statements of
unfavorable planting conditions. Supplies
were against any pronounced rise in
prices, however, and conditions at mills
continue extremely depressing. The brief
squirt was followed by another decline.
as traders realized that it was early for
authentic news regarding the next yield.
and present conditions favored weakness
Aggressive manipulation of corn forced
prices to an unreasonable point, from
which the fall was severe. and wheat
also weakened.
Stock speculation. considering the holi-
days. was the most active on record and
prices went to new high level. with
practically every group participating in
the movement.
Commercial failures in the first quar-
ter of 1901 were 1885 in number and $3T-
703 1856 in amount of defaulted liabilities.
While exceeding the same three months
of last year in number. failures were
much smaller in amount. For the month
of March total liabilities were much
smaller than in the corresponding month
of any year since monthly statements
were first published