The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-16
DuN's REVIEW OF TRADE.
A Satisfactory situation with n
Promising Futur. Outlook.

froufstng futur" outlook
NEW YORK. Feb. I5-Duns review to
morrow will say:
Business continues of good volume il
nearly all parts OF the country and report.
from the West and Southwest OF a salts
! factory distribution of merchandise b,
| jobbers begin to have a familiar sound
| Heavy orders come from agents on ths
road
There ia no important change In prices
| in any department of manufactured goods
and some staples rise while others de-
| cline; but the longer the situation re.
mains as at present the surer the business
world feels about a rise In prices In the
| future, for the demand for merchandise
for prompt consumption does not decrease
| Some progress has been made in the direc-
| ton of settlement of labor differences in
the far West, and the temper Of soft coal
miners is more amicable. while there Is
| little concern among steel interests over
the sensational stories of organization at
the mills to enforce demands for higher
wages.
THE standard measures of business
max. favorable comparisons. The rail
roads of the country reporting for the
first week CO February show a gain of So
per cent in gross earnings over last year
and 26.4 per cert over 1889. Bank clear
ings for New York show gain of $40 per
cent over 1900 for the week. while outside
New York TIE increase was 100 per cent.
''At some points there are evidences Of
an inclination to delay operations in iron
and steel until something definite Is
known about the proposed combination.
but this applies only to small undertake
ings which are insignificant in comparison
with the urgent dealings that cannot be
postponed.
Purchasers find difficulty in securing
even approximate dates for delivery OF
goods in many products and mills are so
far behind orders as a rule that no new
and railway supplies are in greatest re-
quest, numerous heavy orders being ac-
cepted this week at full prices.
mo sign of weakness is apparent in any
department OF the boot and shoe industry.
Some manufacturers have booked orders
that will ensure running on full time well
into May and Il 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 cheerful reports. and while To-
cal jobbing is less brisk than last week,
there is no complaint.
News regarding the textile manufac-
ture is less encouraging. despite the fact
that sales of wool at the three chief East
ern markets rose to 6.972, 500 pounds. far
exceeding all recent records, and show
ing a gain Of $50, 900 pounds over the same
week last year.
Cotton fabrics continue quiet and do
nestle mills are not fully occupied. Liv-
erp0ol cables have given no support, while
Manchester is securing raw cotton from
India in unusually large quantities. These
influences caused further decline in mid
ding uplands, taking the price 10 the
lowest point in three months.
Wheat was advanced this week by re-
ports of receipts at the mills unfit for
grinding. Flour output at Minneapolis is
much smaller than year ago. and fur
Their decrease is expected. Stock specu-
lation was on a smaller scale, and ragged
movement resulted from operations OF
day to-day traders. who have magnified
the report of hitch in the deal for
or other union Of the steel
companies. Railroad stocks seem to be
still in rather strong hands and the float
ing supply in the street is small. having
been further reduced by late Withdrawals
for investment.
Failures for the week numbered 257
in the United States, against 21S last year,
and in Canada 40, against IL last year"