The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-01-03
PHENOMENAL YEAR
Dun's Review Will Speak Well of
Year 1901.
MANUFACTURING IS FOREMOST
Such Development Has Never Been
Experienced by This or Any Other
Nation in the Same Length of Time
All Departments Doing Well.

New York, Jan. 1.-Dun's Review
will say Jan. 4:
Most marvellous of all the phenom-
email evidences of advancement in
business during the year was the
progress made in manufacturing. 1t
is impossible to be too extravagant in
delineating the movements of the in
dustrial world. Never in the history
of this or any other nation has such
development occurred within the
space of IL month. The expansion
of productive capacity was enormous,
the improved methods of work and or
ganization were conspicuous, wise
economies were introduced, but more
than all other factors that made for
permanent prosperity was the conserv-
alive resistance to price imitation.
Iron and Steel.
After the reaction of 1900 the level
of prices remained depressed for some
months, but gradually responded to
the increasing demand as excessive
accumulations were absorbed. From
a condition of glut there arose almost
a famine, greatly exaggerated by the
stubborn strike. Some idea of the
changes in size of supplies may be
found in the comparison of furnace
stocks of pig iron, as published in the
Iron Age, which amounted to 584,663
tons on Jan. 1. These figures declined
throughout the year until only 223 ,462
tons were held on Dec. /.
Coal and Coke.
All records of output for hard and
soft coal were surpassed during 1901,
despite the scarcity of cars that re-
tarded operations. A feature OF great
advantage was the expanding export
movement, which reached more en-
couraging proportions than in earlier
years. In ten months the value Of
shipments was $19,0S7,3 1853, against
$17,S20,S64 the year previous. Coke
ovens made phenomenal record,
establishing new high water mark OF
weekly output at 244,529 tons late in
November
Market for Wool.
Further declines occurred in the
price Of this staple during the open
ing months of 1901. and the bottom
was not reached until July /, when 100
grades, according to Coates Bros. cir
cular, were quoted at 17.06c. This rep
resented loss of 81 per cent from the
high point Of 24.70 in December, 1899.
With the absorption of surplus stocks
and general revival in the industry,
the turning point was reached in Sep
TENDER. Further strength and activ-
ity was in evidence each succeeding
month.
Produce Markets.
While 1900 was the best year ever
experienced by domestic interests, the
opening year of the new century was
in many ways more profitable and the
two together have put the farming
population in much the most satisfac-
tory position in the nations history.
Meats naturally reflected the expen-
sive position of fodder, and it was
gratifying to notice that exports were
not materially reduced by the high
level
Crop estimates were also far apart,
causing irregularity and a tendency to
await more definite information. The
CROP year opened with a new record
of wheat and -four exports, amounting
to 34,130,3S0 bushels in August, far
surprising any previous month, while
for five months ending Nov. 80, the
aggregate was 126,92S,162 bushels.