The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-17
WEEKLY TRADEREVlEW
CONDITIONS DISCUSSED By DUN
AND BRADSTREET.
Weather and Wages the Only Serious
ly Disturbing Factors in the
Business Situation-Rail-
way Earnings Large.

New York, May Is.--R G. Dups& Co $
weekly review of trade tomorrow will
say: Weather and wages continue the
only seriously disturbing factors in the
business situation. Excessive moisture
and low Temperature, made the crop
outlook more uncertain and much de-
ponds on a continuance of prosperity
in the agricultural sections On the other
hand. record breaking distribution of pay
in the Pittsburg region accelerated re-
tail trade while resumption of WOODEN
the other mills added largely to hte
active force, Transporting lines continue
to make splendid exhibits railway earn
ings for the first week of May exceeding
those Of a year ago by 81 per cent. and
SURPRISING the same weeks earnings in
1900 by 1873 per cent.
As was indicated by weekly reports pig
iron production attained a new record
for the month of April at 1,5OS.326 tons
and the weekly capacity of furnaces In
blast on May l, according to The Iron
Age, was 352.C64 tons, far SURPRISING all
previous high water marks. Such an
cumulation of supplies but consumption
easily keeps apace, furnace stocks show
ing e decrease of about 10000 tons dur
ing April to much the lowest point in
recent years. With about twenty more
| furnaces in course of construction or
contemplated, an annual output of D,ooo,-
| 900 tons is no longer considered
remote while the current year may ex-
\
| troversy or other calamity interferes-
| Quotations continue to vary widely ac-
| cording to date Of delivery. and there Is
| less spot business owing to scanty. sup
| plies and to the growing tendency OF con-
sumers to place orders for future deliv-
cries. There Is now very little evidence
| of buyers holding off for break Rails
and structural supplies are ordered freely
| for delivery next year
Footwear manufacturers at the East
reported an increased volume or orders
| from Western jobbers. but wholesalers
/ in the principal Eastern centerS are
| placing few fan contracts. Retailers are
| only sending moderate duplicate orders
| for summer goods, some supplies re-
| manning of early purchases. Sole leather
| Is quiet. Hides again secured a moderate
advance In prices, both for domestic and
| foreign In the dry goods market there
Is evidence of Increased buying for ran
and next spring. but only small supple
mentary orders for the present season.
| Cold weather has retarded jobbing trade
| at many points. Domestic trade in cot
| ton goods Is steady, with, supplies IN
| strong hands. but export business -
| goods are reported. showing that few
| looms are idle. The best demand Is Tor
staple lines OF mems wear and medium
| grades of fancy woolens.
| While 1t is generally agreed that there
| has been much Improvement In the WIN
| ter wheat States since the opening OF
the month. prices became somewhat
1
| cial reports of condition on May !. Elk
ports for ten months of the crop year
| assure the heaviest outgo ever recorded.
even IL the last two months make poor
| exhibits For the past week exports We're
| 3,499, 764 bushels, -four included, against
4.023, 2i6 a year ago. Corn advanced on
lighter receipts and reports OF slow pro-
| gress in planting ono
| the United States against III last year
and II in Canada against 10 year ago.
Bradstreet's Review.
New York. May 16.-Bradstreets to-
| morrow will say: Conditions governing
trade lack uniformity and explain irreg-
larry in advices from different sections
| The pre-eminent feature Is, OF course;
the favorable character OF nearly al. an
even here the Improvement since May
has neutralized much that was unfa-
workable before. The shadow overhang-
general anthracite coal strike. has deep
ened with the formal suspension or work
and the strike announcement. Cooi
weather has hitherto retarded retaii de-
mand, and in the agricultural sections
the population has been busily engaged.
Hence present demand has suffered from
| comparison with outlook for the future.
The effect of the copious rains II tne
| West has been in a high degree favor
| able, and is reflected in improved buying
from jobbers for fail delivery, The win
ter wheat yield will be heavily reduced
from last years. bumper crop. but IN, 1me
| outlook even thehe is better than in 1873,
while spring wheat promises well tpres-
ent prices not favoring a heavy decrease
in acreagel and the area In corn VIII De
enlarged by turning plowed-up winter
| wheat land into that cereal. Oats PROM
ise well. and cotton crop advices are also
more favorable. Produce prices ana
dairy products are weakening as sup
plies increase. but meats are still nigh
and permanently lower prices are not
looked for until autumn. The Industrial
outlook. aside from the anthracite trou-
BILE and the possibilities OF their disturb o.
ance If extended involving some branches
of the iron and steel trades. Is on the
whole no more satisfactory than might
be expected in a time OF more than or
| binary prosperity Wage advices have
been numerous. Full railroad earnings
return for April confirm last weeks re-
port of a gain of II per cent. over April
| a year ago, while for the first week OF
May the indicated gain is in excess OF .
| per cent.
Notable strength is still shown in prices
of many staples, particularly those IN
which speculation Is not very prominent
Cash wheat. -four and corn are all Nigh
er on the week; hog products have ad-
vanced hides are at about the highest
point in years, and copper. long lag
gard, Is stiffening in price on free con-
sumption. Cotton Is prominent among
the staples declining. but the depression
is most marked in futures, market senti-
ment at present being calculated to de
| velop a large short interest in spite of tho
unQuestionably narrow condition or ac-
tual supplies. Print cloths are l-6c lower.
Sugar is unsettled, the decrease in Euro
pean beet sowings Is only a small one
and raws and refined are lower. but the
canning season is approaching and 2
larger business is looked for as the small
fruit crops promise well. Spot coffee Is
no higher and supplies are very heavy.
Anthracite coal. as result OF the strike
has been marked up 81 per ton by re-
tailers.
Dry goods are quiet at the East. but the
| DION in print cloths is not regarded as
| indicating anv weakness. Orders for fall
prints are "at value" Rather more is
doing in raw wool but nominal quota
| tions are lower while new wool at the
| West is active at higher prices than last
year. , -
busy. and overcoatings are ordered large
ly ahead. The strike Of wooden mill hands
seems to be falling.
| Despite the largest production Of pig
iron on record al the rate of B.Wo.0Oo
tons a year. Bessemer pig Is 81 at PITTS
burg. No northern, sells at $22 at Chi
cago, and an advance of So in six months
| and SOC to 81 so higher than recently sold,
| and Southern iron can no longer be held
down to $l2 and sales are reported at
s1S Birmingham. Blllets are out OF the
| market but could be sold at $34 and light
rails sell at $34. while standard rails are
| not to be had, though 3oWo tons are re-
| ported sold for December delivery. Plates
are advancing. spikes are scarce and
large structural orders have been placed
for 1903
Wheat dricIuding four exports for the