The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-03-23
THE SOUTHWEST is BUSY
Cotton Goods Depressed and Price
Cutting the Rule.
COTTON HALF CENT LOWER ON THE WEEK
Iron and Steel Are Very Strong, Eastern Mar
kets Lag Behind the West. Corn in
G9Od Expert Dtman5. Pork
Prices Well Up.
(By the Associated Press.)

New York, March Bradstreet's
tomorrow will say:
TRADE is still active though perhaps not
so buoyant as in weeks past, partly
owing to the natural subsistence of the
spring demand at wholesale and partly
because of the interruption to demand
and shipment by snow and rain storms
in the Northern half of the country
From the South the first distinctly unfa-
yorable advices received for some time
past come as result of the heavy and
continued decline in the price of cotton.
Trade comparisons with earlier years ia
vor the present season as may be gath
cred from the exceptionally good railway
earnings returns and the enormous in
creases in clearings. some of which are
no doubt explained by the preparations
for large financial operations and the
bullish speculation in stocks which has
resulted. in new price records for many
securities. Southwestern advices are es-
pecially cheerful. and farmers in that
section hope to repeat or improve upon
the good results of last year.
Textiles are still the sore spot in the
trade situation. Cotton is nc lower on
the week. 22sc below the top of the rise
last year, and 15sc below a year ago.
Fer the first time in months the South
ern trade advices are depressed Cotton
goods are depressed and price cutting is
the rule, but signs of Improvement are
to be found in the agreement of Fall
River Mills 20 run half time fer the
next two months and thus keep SOC. 900
pieces of print cloths off of the market
Iron and steel are strong and even
buoyant. but, as in times past the Wes-
tern trade displays the greatest activity
and the most strength, while Eastern
markets have rather Jagged behind Chi
cago and Pittshurg displayed great ami
nation, and Central Western mills are
crowded with orders Furnaces ere sold
ahead to July 1st and prompt deliveries
command premium. War talk induced
some short covering in wheat this week
and flour strengthened on better demand
but crop reports were in the main ia
vorable. Corn has been in good export
demand, but is held down by increases in
supplies, weather at the West keeping
good The strength of hog products and
higher prices for live hogs has resulted
in talk CT a corner being worked in May
delivery at Chicago. Present prices are
the best recorded for years past Sugar
has shown some recuperative strength,
and fractional gain is noted after the
late marked decline.
Failures for the week in the, United
States number 231 as against 207 last
week, 1872 in this week ago. 1872 in 1899,
2l5 in 1898 and 221 in 1897 Canadian
failures number A, against % last week,
% in this week a year ago, SO in 1899,
20 in 1898 and 40 in 1897
HESTEP'S COTTON STATEMENT.
New Orleans. La, March 22-Secretary
Hester's weekly cotton exchange state
ment issued today shows an increase in
the movement into sight compared with
the seven days ending this date last year
in round figures $4,000 bales.
For the twenty-five days of March the
! total shows an increase over last yaar of
$4,000 bales. For the two hundred and
| three days of the season that have elapsed
the aggregate is ahead of the two hundred
and three days of last year SIT 900 bales.
| The amount brought into sight during
| the past week has been 155, 037 bales,
against ISL ,655 bales for the seven days
ending this date last year, and for the
! twenty-five DAYS of March it has been
490594 bales, against 444,3S7 bales last
| year.
The movement since September LIST
shows receipts at all United States polr
/ 6.2S3. 465 bales, against 5,965,SS3 bales last
year; overland across the Mississippi
Ohio and Potomac Rivers to Northern
mills and Canada 947,473 bales. against
| l 900, 731 bales last year; interior stocks
| in excess of those at the close of CONNER
cial year $50 105 bales, against 11S,44S
bales last year. Southern mill takings
97O, 47S bales. against 994,12S bales last
year.
Foreign exports for the week have been
90 $50 bales. against 1885 bales last
| year.
Northern mill takings and Canada du-
ring the past seven days show an in
crease of I 3G9 bales as compared with the
eorresnonding period last year. Includ
inc stocks left over at ports and interior
towns from the last crop and the number
| Of baIes brought into sight the supply to
date is 1858. $50 bales, against S,7S2,5S2
bales for the same period last year.
Secretary Hester's statement of the
worlds visible supply of cotton shows
tho total visible is 4O1S.SS3 bales, against
3, COS, 2s9 bales last