The sun., 1901-11-30
THE STATE OF TRADE.
Comment by Dun's Review on the
Business of the Week.
MANY DISTURBING FACTORS.
Great Trouble at Present IL the Lack
of Cars to Handle the Heavy
shipments--The Metal and
Cereal Markets.

NEW 1OFk, NOV. zo.--It. VI. Juh "
Co.'S weekly review of trade says:
When consumptive demand equals or
exceeds supply and prices are firmly
held at an exceptionally high level, II
is generally considered that there Is
little to be desired in the business sit
uation. These factors are now In evil
Ilence to an unusual extent, yet many
Industries are halting. The principal
disturbing element is the lack of cars
to handle the phenomenal shipments
that are urgently needed. TO this must
be added the delay caused by extensive
changes under way at many railway
terminals. where better facilities are
being prepared. but in the meantime
regular work is handicapped. In the
same connection there have appeared
numerous labor controversies among
switchmen, freight handlers, river pi.
lots, miners and other allied workmen,
which combine to make the problem of
transportation most intricate.
A general advance in the price of pig
iron indicates that record breaking ac-
tivity at furnaces fails to produce ac-
emulation of supplies. Steel mills are
seeking material urgently, and besse>
mer pig for prompt delivery at atPittsburg
is not available below $3.50. Large
sales of forge and foundry iron are re-
ported at further advances, and south
ern iron in the Chicago market IS also
higher. Buying Of railway supplies g
the most urgent feature-rails, cars, en-
gines, structural material for bridges
and shop equipments all being wanted
much earlier than they can be deliver
ed. In general lines the movement Is
| scarcely less active, and, despite the
vigorous prosecution of work since the
| big strike terminated, there Is no evil
1 denee that mills have gained on their
orders. At present the business In 1902
appears limited by facilities, but 1t Is
probable that producing capacity will
| be greatly enlarged.
With higher water In the Pittsburg
region there has come brisk move
ment of coal on the river, and coke
ovens are constantly attaining new top
figures of weekly output. The feature
among the minor metals was the sharp
advance in tin to much the highest
point of the year because of delayed
| arrivals. In marked contrast to the
rise in tin was sharp decline In silver
to the lowest price since early in 1893.
shoeshops Kept Busy.
Shoeshops ut the east are fully EN-.
ployed. while western producers were
never before so actively engaged. The
only section where factories are not
enjoying entirely satisfactory business
is lii this immediate vicinity, and 10
cal concerns do not provide a large pro
portion Of the aggregate capacity.
Recent buying of cotton goods fol
China has stimulated the export move
ment, and for the year thus far thf
value shows an increase over any pre-
cediig year. Asia and South America
are the lending customers. Domestic
trade is of good volume, and mills ar,
busy. Conditions are even more favor
able at wooden mills, one concern refus
ing large order for delivery in Fehru
AIRY. Heavyweight goods are very &C
tive with r<tailers and iohhers.
, Anothts new high record for the sen
son was established by corn, not alon
because of speculative operations, n
! though these We're most aggressive a
: the west. Even at the recent level 0
I prices which surpassed all high point
] in about ten years, II has proved futil
: 10 undertake commitments on the shol
) side of the market. Domestic require
: ments alone provide the element I
t strength, for outside buying is onl
t about Il per cent Of the business
previous years. Atlantic exports f.
] the week were 52S,172 bushels agains
Z :i,a70,696 last year. Receipts come 70
' ward slowly despite the attractis
q prices. for the week amounting to onl
$ 2,20s,279 bushels against 3.3S6.370 la,
! year
! Wheat also held firmly, closing IL
0 week more than 4 cents buShel aboy
the price year ago, which is most sa
8 isfactory in view of the vast increa
J. in yield. Receipts at the interior n
n liberal $3.50 443 bushels against 800
). T9S last year. but the gain in fores
!, buying is still the feature, expor
$ from all ports of the United States
n five days aggregating 3975.S19 bus
/ els, compared with 2.S39,OTo a We
t ago.
II Failures for the week numbered 4
in the United States against lis la
d year and p in Canada against q Ii
G year.
= q -