The Washington times., 1902-05-18
WEATHER AND WAGES
DISTURBING. FACTORS
Anthracite Strike Felt by the
Retail Trade.
OUTLOOK FOR GRAIN CROPS
Wheat Not Likely to Equal Last Years
Yield, But Will Be in Excess of Isee-
Enlarged Acreage of Corn Probable
Railway Returns Show Gains.
NEW YORK. May l7.-Bradstreet's to-

NEW YORK. May 17.-Bradstreet's to-
day says:
Conditions governing trade lack uni
formity and explain irregularity in advices
from different sections. The eminent
features. of course, are the favorable char
acter of nearly all crop advices. winter
wheat excepted, but even here the i'm
provement since May / has neutralized
much.
The shadow overhanging Eastern trade,
in the shape of general anthracite coal
strike. has deepened with the formal sus-
pension of work and the strike announce
ment Cool weather hitherto has retard-
ed retail demand. and in the agricultural
sections the population has been busily
engaged. Hence present demand has suf-
fered in comparison with the outlook for
the future. but recorder business from job
bers has been very fair despite this.
Reduced Wheat Yield.
Briefly. the winter wheat yield will be
heavily reduced from last years bumper
crop, but the outlook even here is better
than in 1899, while spring wheat promises
well (present prices not favoring a heavy
decrease in acreage), and the area in
corn will be enlarged by turning plowed up
winter wheat land into that cereal. Oats
promise well. and cotton crop advices are
also more favorable.
Produce prices and dairy products are
weakening as supplies increase but meats
n s-t,
prices are not looked for until autumn.
THE industrial outlook. aside from the
anthracite trouble and the possibilities of
this disturbance. IL extended. involving
some branches of the iron and steel trades,
is, on the whole. no more unsettled than
might be expected in a time of more than
ordinary prosperity. Wage advances some
of them voluntary. have been numerous.
and some old troubles are approaching set
tlement.
Fuller railroad earnings returns for
April confirm last weeks report OF a gain
of IL per cent over April year ago. while
for the first week of May the Indicated
gain is in excess of s per cent
Depression in Cotton.
Cotton is prominent among the staples.
NNN''H'hts' put tut
marked in futures. market sentiment at
present being calculated to develop large
short interest in spite OF the unquestion-
ably narrow condition of actual supplies.
Print cloths are &c lower"
Dun's review says:
Weather and wages continue the only
seriously disturbing factors in the busi-
ness situation. Excessive moisture and
low temperature made the crop outlook
more uncertain. and much depends on a
continuance of prosperity in the agricul-
tural sections. Work was suspended in
the anthracite coal mines on Monday. and
although the interruption may be termi-
mated at any time. IL involves vast army
OF men. including transporting interests
and others closely allied
The loss in wages must soon be felt
by storekeepers in that vicinity On the
other hand record-breaking distributions
of pay In the Pittsburg region accelerated
retail trade. while resumption OF wooden
and other mills added largely to the ac-
tive force. Transporting lines continue to
make splendid exhibits. railway earnings
for the first week OF May exceeding those
OF year ago by 62 per cent, and sur
passing the same weeks earnings In 1900
by 1873 per cent