The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-05
GRAIN OUTLQOKCOOO
BRADsTRBETs FINDS UNDERTAKING.
FEATURES OF TRADE AND IN
DUSTRY FAVORABLE
BUILDING WILL BE ACTIVE
Corn Still the Center of a specuIa-
tive Contest and Hog Products
Easier, With Lard Lower
on the Week.

NEW YORK, April 4.--Bradstreet' to-
morrow will say: The great UNDERLYING
features of trade and industry remain as
fay orahle as heretof0rc. I3radstreet's
quarterly returns Of failures, Eank clear
ings and prices all po.it to IL heavy bust
ress having been done in the first three
months Of the year at fair profits, while
most indications as ID crop PROSPECTS
favor good summe;' and fall business.
Cooler weather and the natural reac-
ton from the before Easter activity has
quoted retail trade East and West, Willie
heavy rains and floods have interfered
with the demand and movement in the
South. Jobbing distribution is naturally
less active than earlier in the season, but
is still of liberal volume. Practically
unanimously good reports come from the
winter wheat crop, which has proved
good instead of deteriorating from its aU-
tUmn promise.
Especially good reports come from en-.
Central West and the Southwest. Oats
are coming up well, lad spring wheat
planting, though backward, will shortly
become general.
Wet, stormy weather IN the eastern half
of the cotton belt has Unquestionably in
terfered with farming preparations. High
water in Mississippi valley has checked
trade, and the movement Of cotton, in
this respect, acting as a stimulus TO the
price Of that staple which has also been
favorably affected by the improved out
look in the New England mills, were in
creases in wages have been conceded at
many points.
Building VIII BE Active.
Special promise of activity is held out
this year in the building trades. which
are active buyers of white and yellow
pine, hard woods and hardware. A coun-
try-wide activity in this latter trade is
;4ss,,, -.
tanning of supplies fast enough.
Price changes for the week are Unim-
portant, cotton figuring most largely in
the matter of advances, partly because Of
light receipts caused by bad weather and
the continued heavy exports. 1t has been
a weather market for wheat, with the
tendency slightly downward on the gen
orally conceded improved crop reports.
Outside interest is small in this cereal
and in corn, which is still reported the
center of a speculative contest. The alb
normal situation in this cereal discour-
ages outside interest. Hos products,
though helped by light receipts Of hogs
on some days, are rather easier, lar1 be-
ing lower on the week
Business failures in the United States
for the week number 176, as against 1S3
last week, 1888 in this week last year, 1872
in 1900, 100 in 1899, and 220 in 1898. Cana
dian failures for the week number 49,
against q last week, 20 in this week =
year ago, and % in 1900.
Cattle Prices Make Record
Wheat, including -four exports for the
week aggregate 4,446917 blu, against 1904, 10
last week, and 4,698, 693 in this week last
year. Wheat exports July /, 1901, to date
(forty weeks aggregate 1913, 845,95S bu,
against 1916 III last season. Corn ex-
ports aggregate $50, 531 blu, against 139, POS
last week, and 2,990,5l1 last year. July l,
1901, to date corn exports are "a, 464 7O1 blu,
against 146, $780, 7S last season.
No signs of weakness are to be found
in iron and steel. The largest interest is
reported about to place a contract for
100, COO tons Of Bessemer pig for delivery
in the fourth quarter, for which the price
will be at least SIT per ton valley fur
naces. What sales have been made this
week have been made al $3.50 to SIT rs
valley furnaces. Steel is very scarce and
billets are quoted at $32 81 more than a
year ago. Heavy orders for bar iron and
steel are reported at Pittsburg and Chi
cago from implement, wagon and car
riage manufacturers. and business con-
tinues good even at the advance of 3d.
The demand for finished material seems
to be still in excess Of the supply.
Bradstreets compilation Of hog and
beef prices points to the highest prices
reached at this season of the year for
more than ten years past. Hog products
have advanced more than beef probably
because of wider speculative interest.