The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-01-12
TIE STATE on TRADE.
Comment by Dun's Review on the
business of the Week.
STAPLE PRODUCTS ARE FIRM
Throughout the Country Distribu.
tion of Merchandise Is ReDort-
ed to He Continuing on
a Good Scale.

New YORK, Jan. LII. ". Dun " 70.
weekly review of trade says:
Only in the textiles is special hesita,
tion shown. Staple products are firm
iron and steel prices are held without
trouble, boots and shoes and wool are
steady, and all with fair demand, SO that
manufacturers are busy. In textiles,
however, the improvement which seemed
to be promised with the new year is still
delayed, and in cotton goods stocks are
growing in some'quarters, though still not
oppressively heavy anywhere. Through.
out the country distribution of merchan'
disc continues on a good scale, and col.
lections are unusually prompt.
Construction of bridges and buildings
together with contemplated track eleya.
ton, crowds the capacity Of all concerns
making structural shapes of iron and
steel. Orders for locomotives, cars, rails
and all forms of railway equipment are
alsS abundant, and there is no sign OF
reaction in the industry Plate and sheet
mills have large business, and merchant
steel is in brisk demand. The Carnegie
company proposes to erect pipe plant
on Lake Erie, and many other concerns
are extending facilities. Competition is
keen, however, and increased operations
fail to affect prices. New schedules are
promised in the near future, and lower
freight rates are anticipated. The Ircr
Age reports an increase in pig iron pro
duction to 250,351 tons weekly.
Investment of Wall street capital was
ruinored as supporting cotton and wheat
| but the effect was not permanent. Cot,
| ton advanced temporarily, only to react
| when Liverpool cables failed to respond
| Traders express widely divergent opin
| ions as to the size of the current crop and
| its snfiiciency. Meanwhile port receipts
| continue to largely exceed last years fig
| ures at prices 30 per cent higher. Wheat
1 was agitated by reports of corner il
| the May option and for time exhibited
| strength A sharp reaction followed
| holders parting readily with their con
| tracts, Despite the advance of about IL
| per cent over the price a year ago Allan
/ tic exports show M increase to $3.50. %.
| bushels. Hour included, against 2,3l5,5S
1 in 1900. Even more remarkable is til,
/ comparison as to corn, of which ship
ments abroad amounted to Ada, A!
bushels against 3,40S, T93 last year, Will
the quotation is nearly Is per cent high
i er. Wet weather is interrupting thu
| movement from the farms. and there i
still much complaint of low grading a
| Chicago.
4 The Wool Market.
Wool hRs ceased to decline, and sale
at the three chief eastern markets in
creased slightly to 3,3OS, 700 pounds
against 3,i21 900 in the week preceding
A year ago sales were considered remark
ably small for that season at 5,1SS,00t
pounds. Manufacturers purchase will
extreme caution. and domestic fleece
suffer by increased competition of cheal
wool from Australia and China. Som
dealers hope for higher prices at Tues
days London sale, although il is know
that large stocks arc to be offered, am
there is nothing in the foreign situation
to support sanguinc expectations. Max
! ers Of boots and shoes insist on full
prices, and as result shipments fror
Boston have declined 5.450 cases for III
! week. In two weeks forwardngs aggre
gate 159,43i cases, against 1886 las
year. Jobbers in this vicinity are doin
well, and wholesalers orders are urgent
Sales of leather increase, with hemlocl
sole fairly held, although concessions ar
made in upper stock. Heavy unioI
backs are scarce, prime lots commander,
about cent advance over regular quota
lions. While the hide market at Chicag
is unchanged, the tone is irregular.
Speculation i'll stocks continued on
very large scale, with a new record es
tablished for heavy transactions, but tn
market was unable to withstand the rea
izations on long holdings and brok
sharply several times. London helpe
| the decline selling fully 100000 share
more here in the week than it bough
! but on each drive to depress quotation
banking interests and investors wer
, found ready to absorb large quantities q
| securities. All old arguments as to til
future of the market seem to fail becaus
never in the history of Wall street hay
there been at one time 50 many impo
tant deals in progress affecting the raj
road interests of the country as nov
, There is much curiosity among operator
/ as to the exact terms of these negoti,
T tons, and the uncertainty aids the ragge
/ movement Of prices. Commission house
are not carrying large lines of stock
: however, and the conclusion is force
I that most of the standard issues al
strongly held
Failures for the week were 324 in Il
/ United States against 274 last year ali
!. ~ III CANADA against % last ypor