The age-herald., 1902-03-15
MORE STRENGTHIN
 IRON AND STEEL Week Ends More Favorable
 Than it Began RAIN HAS HELPED WHEAT Dun and 5radstreet Both Feel Encour- aged Over the Charlottesville
 Hurt Boston Badly In
 All Lines.
RAIN HAS HELPED WHEAT

New York, March 14-Bradstreets to- morrow will say:
 The week ends more favorable than it began. Plenteous rains in the entire win ter wheat belt and more especially in the drouth- affected southwest, have given impetus to that crop, which has been likewise favored by exceeding mild weather.
 There is more strength in iron and steel. agricultural implement manufac- turers have bought heavily of bars, Pitts burg sold 100000 tons, almost all at old prices. New buyers must pay the ad- vance of $2 per ton. Weather conditions and floods limited production in Febru- ary, and stocks are smaller than month ago. Pig iron sales this week have been at advances of 50 cents per ton. Bar man. ufacturers are sold ahead rail mills are sold ahead for the entire season, steel and wire mills for three months capac- l ity and the valley furnaces have sold l three-quarters of their years production Light rails are 8. 50 per ton higher. Skelp has advanced from $2 to S3. The strength of the situation has practically never been surpassed.
 Wheat was buoyed up by the report of the smallest reserves in farmers hands by the governments, Bradstreets calcu- lations, based on the above. pointing to a very small increase Tn the visible and invisible supplies in view of the record breaking crops in this country and in the world at large. This sIeadied prices but they weakened later on the report of the breaking of the drouth in the south west and of adequate supplies of moisture to winter wheat in other sections. The most active export demand for some weeks past developed at the decline, and exercised influence for later firmness. Re- ports of heavy rains checked receipts of corn and oats together with the govern- ment report of the smallest corn receipts in twenty years and limited farm sup plies of oats. There was a strong specu- lative movement in May oats.
 Wheat, including flour exports for the week aggregate 2906,250 bushels against 4,095,el4 last week and 4,690,9S9 in this week last year. July l, 1901, to date, ex- ports aggregate s7.16S,6 62 bushels against 142, 172 l45 last season.
 Cotton exports aggregate 1S3, 414 bushels against 352, 4.6 last week and 3,246,576 last year. July L. 19ol, to date exports are 23,655,JiI bushels against 137,77S,31O last season.
 Cotton has been more irregular in price following the recent upward movement and influenced by the reported intention of the Fall River cotton operatives on strike, reverses to British arms in South Africa and mora speculative disposition to release on advances. Receipts of ex- ceptionally large volume have. 1t Is said, | been at the expense of interior stocks, | while exports have been very heavy. Pcint clot"s are stronger In sympathy with ,he general strength of all cotton goods. and also because of the threatened strike next weeS. Labor troubles in ne wooden goods trade have been dis j. ing feature but women's dress goods have continued in good demand.
 Shpe shipments last week were seven per cent larger thar week ago and the increase for the season is four per cent.
 Business failures in the United States for the wee& number 224 as against IFS last week, 20I ;n this week last year, 190 in 19C0, 205 in 1899 and 23 in 1S9S
 Canadian failures for the week number 31 as against 2a last week and 2S in this week yea. ago.