The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-01-04
THE CAR SHORTAGE AGAIN
An Unsettling Factor Both to Produc-
tion and Consumption.
RIcES CHANGE LITTLE ON THE WEEK
Cotton Is Now Slightly Lower Because of Large
Receipts, Which Are, However,
Said 10 Represent Good Buying
for Export.
(By the Associated Press.)


New York, Jan. 3-Bradstreets to-
morrow will say:
Satisfaction with the old and conf
dence in the new year are the dominant
features of the entire industrial, COM
mercial and financial situation. The
week has naturally been quiet to the
verge of dullness as regards new bust
ness, the main attention being concen-
tration in gathering up the threads of
old business, in stock taking and in pre-
parations for the future.
A conspicuous exception to the gen
eral quietness is found in the iron and
steel situation, which gains rather than
loses activity. Here, however, the car
shortage question cuts a disturbing
figure and one which, in view of the
advanced stage of the season, bids fair
to continue to unsettle both production
and consumption considerably. Sup
plies of coke at the ovens are piling up.
but the blast furnaces are shutting down
because OF the necessary link between
the two, an abundance of cars not being
J Forthcoming. Southern pig iron has
advanced fifty cents per ton, and the
Western trade is getting it's chief sup
plies from this source. Floods in the
mining regions have interfered with
production, and the car shortage still
accentuates the scarcity of coal. parti-
cularly bituminous. Anthracite sup
plies are smaller notwithstanding a to-
tai production last year in excess of
53,000.000 tons. a total IL per cent larger
than ever before produced
| Prices show few changes on the week.
| The cereals are on the whole higher.
due mainly TO the strength of wheat.
which still supports the coarser grains.
Cotton has been shaded little because
of large receipts, which are, however,
claimed TO really represent good buying
! for exports. Cotton goods are quiet, as
usual at this date, but closed the year
1901 much better than they began it.
Fall River dividends are slightly lower
/ than the average in 1900, with the mills
producing the better class of goods show
ing the best returns. Ginghams are in
! specially good shape, being largely sold
ahead and firm
| Business failures in the United States
! for the week number 27O, as against 26S
in this week last year
For the week Canadian failures num-
Der 25, against "a in this week a year
ago.
! COMPARATIVE COTTON STATEMENT.
| New York Jan. 3-For the week ending
| Friday, January 9rd: Net receipts at all
! United States ports during week. 295.0 .01S.
| net receipts at all United States ports
| during same week last year 175, ,65S total
! receipts 70 this date since September 1st,
| 1852 959, total receipts to same date
last year, 4,52S,551; exports for the week.
| POI 249; exports for same week last year
| lG5, ,599; total exports to this date since
September 1st, 3,575,520; total exports to
same date last year, 3,276933: stock at
ali United States ports, /, ,030 1888; stock
at all United States ports same time last
! year. '97f, ,903; stock at all interior towns,
| GIL $50; stock at all interior towns same
time last year, 792, ,S40 stock at Liverpool
| S2S 900; stock at Liverpool same time
last year, 6S2 900; stock of American afloat
for Great Britain PSI 900; stock of Amer
ican aHcat for Great Britain same time
last year, 100000
TOTAL NET RECEIPTS.
New York, Jan. 3.-The following are
| INC ICldl net ICCclplS Ol COllOu DIT an
| ports since September l. 1901
Galveston 1403,645 bales; New Orleans
81 ,6Sl; Mobile 21,411; Savannah S3t987;
Charleston 202,S99 Wilmington 215 438 :;
| Norfolk 301 ,024; Baltimore 48147; New
York 80. $50; Boston 81, 1886; Newport News
| 9,181; Philadelphia 16,3O9 Fernandina 3,
OcO; Brunswick S3,579; Port Arthur 81.
| 375; Pensacola 100,794; total 4,862959
| bales.
TOTAL BANK CLEARINGS.
New York, Jan. 3-Total bank clear
ings week ended January End, $2,093, ,615,
1872, increase "a; outside New York $716,-
| COO, ,621. increase, s..
HEsTER's COTTON STATEMENT
New Orleans. Jan. 3.-Secretary Hes
ter's weekly statement issued today
shows for the three days of January an
| increase in the movement into sight
over last year of $4,000 and an increase
over the same period year before last
of 10000
For the 125 days of the season that
have elapsed the aggregate is ahead of
the same days last year 10000 and ahead
of the same days year before last Of
SOS, 900
The amount brought into sight during