Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-03-29
EASTER TRADE GOOD
Comment by Dun's Review on the
Business of the Week.
GREAT METAL PRODUCTION.
Demands For an Eight Hour Day
After May I the Most Disturb.
ing Feature In the Iron
and Steel Industry.

New York, March OR. G. Dun h
Co.'s weekly review Of trade says:
Favorable weather greatly facilitated
Easter retail trade, the volume of trans
actions in all lines Of wearing apparel
being Of exceptional magnitude. Ac-
tivity was by no means restricted to
these special lines, however, the gen.
eral distribution of merchandise ex.
ceeding that of previous seasons, with
prices well maintained.
Demand for an eight hour day after
May l by the blast furnace men was
the most disturbing feature in the iron
and steel industry, and this Is not caus-
ing much alarm, as an agreement will
probably be reached during the inter
vening month. Production is now be-
yond all previous records, and the
movement of coke is ample, although
the early opening of lake navigation
may withdraw some of the transport.
ing facilities which cannot well be
spared.
Buying has been notably active in
bars for implement makers, and pro-
ducers have sold their entire output so
far ahead that new business Is not
sought. Many plans for immediate
structural work have been abandoned,
owing to the insufficient supply OF
available material. On the other hand
there are reports Of reselling contracts
for rails and other supplies by con.
sumers who have secured larger deliv'
cries than will be needed. The appear
ance of this speculative element would
be oininous if quotations were more
excessively inflated.
Aside from the advance in bar iron
at Pittsburg to $3.50 and foundry iron
at Chicago to $3.50 there are no i'm
portant price changes, southern fur
mace producers having decided to post
pone the contemplated advance. 1t is
most unsatisfactory market for small
buyers, who are forced to pay consid-
cradle advances over the figures nam
ed for heavy tonnage. An event wor-
thy of note was the purchase of scrap
steel abroad.
Reaction In Cotton.
A severe reaction occurred in cotton
due entirely to the excessive specu-
lative purchases, which made the mar
ket top heavy. Vigorous operations
for the short account precipitated liq-
uidation and forced prices downward
sharply. Dispatches from the south
indorse earlier statements of scanty
stocks remaining, canvass by The
Journal of Commerce making the
stocks at uncounted towns 50 per cent
less than a year ago. Daily reports of
receipts at ports and interior cities also
exhibit material losses from the move
ment a year ago. '':5s~1<y3'~~aIsA~~
Weakness appeared in the cereals
early in the week, when there was a
certain unanimity about encouraging
weather reports and increased acreage.
Subsequently there was partial re-
covery owing to less cheerful news
from Kansas and Oklahoma, but the
net result for the week was decided
~ lower range of prices. Wheat ex-
ports materially declined from the sat
isfactory record of 4,657,625 bushels
last week to only 3,088, 642 bushels this
week, which compare with 1896, 1872 in
the same week last year. There was a
decrease in western receipts to 2,747,-
094 bushels against 4,052,508 year
ago, but the difference in arrivals of
corn was less striking-1,976,06 4 bush.
els against 2,GS2,91S year ago. At.
lantic shipments of the minor cereal
were only 1884 bushels compared
with 2,94G 461 in 1901.
According to an analysis of the off,
fetal returns by a Liverpool authority,
there will be only 100000 bushels of
wheat in this country at the close of
the crop year, but the statement is
based on exports for the last four
months of half as much as the record
breaking shipments Of the preceding
eight months, which is extremely i'm
probable. A further alteration in the
figures should he made to allow for
the underestimate Of the total crop.
Failures for the week numbered 2O5
in the United States against 2O6 last
year and q in Canada against 20 last
year.