Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-03-15
THE STATE OF TRADE.
Comment by Dun's Review on the
,.r Business of the Week.
ANXIETY IN METAL WORLD.
1t 10 Now Thought, However, That
Deliveries of Iron and Steel
Products Will BE Ample
After the 1st Of July.

New York, March 15.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'s weekly review Of trade says
Outside of Massachusetts the labor
situation is exceptionally free from
controversy, and even In the coal mines
there is less than the usual agitation
as April approaches. Distribution of
spring merchandise is making rapid
progress, the most sanguine expecta-
tons being fully realized in all sections
outside the strike area.
Consumers Of iron and steel products
are still anxious regarding conditions
during the next three months. After
July it is believed that deliveries will
be ample. According to The Iron Age.
the weekly capacity of pig iron fur
naces in blast on March had declined
to 33O,710 tons, or about 10000 tons
from the production Of Feb. 1. Con-
sidering the numerous disturbing fac
tors at work during the month of Feb
ruary. 1t is gratifying that a much
heavier curtailment of output did not
occur. All records prior to Feb. l are
still eclipsed, and the resumption of
many idle plants this month practically
assures new high water marks in the
near future unless some unforeseen in
terruptiOn occurs AS operations at
steel works were also retarded furnace
stocks of pig iron declined only about
5000 tons during February.
The most important event Of the
week was the heavy buying of steel
bars by makers of agricultural imple-
ment in anticipation of higher prices
becoming effective on April 1. Billets
command large premiums for spot de-
livery, and more purchases are report
ed from foreign makers. Pipes and
tubes are more active as the season adj
vances, while large contracts have
been placed for structural shapes. Bet
ter transportation for coke is rapidly
reducing surplus stocks in the yards
and supplying furnaces with all the
needed fuel -...
The Textile Market.
Labor disturbances have tended to
the tone Of textile products
by reducing available supplies which
were already none too large. Sellers
recently declined much business owing
to the uncertain price of the raw ma.
terial and were in good position to
stand the interruption. On the other
hand, buyers have anxiously accumu-
lated the small offerings and no longer
request concessions. All divisions of
The cotton goods market are affected,
and general advance in quotations
will inevitably follow any protracted
interruption to manufacture and trans
portation owing to the healthy con-
Iumptive demand. Export business is |
still checked by the firm views Of hold |
ers. Complaints are also heard as to |
he delivery of wooden goods, but trade
q only fair and cancellations Of orders |
Tor overcoatings are frequently report
I'd. Footwear is quiet, most eastern |
shops having finished cutting, and only |
| few can run six weeks longer without
additional orders. Leather is dull and
hides generally weaker. Last week.
sAApiACAto VI OOVIo ouu ouoCo lIOu
Boston showed good increase over
lie movement in 1901, but the forward
ngs this week will make a very unfa.
7orable comparison.
Official indications of farm reserves
IN March 1 were not surprising as to
'orn, dealers anticipating that supplies
would be only about one-half last
Years., but the statement that % per
:ent of the enormous wheat yield re-
NAMED in farmers hands was not cal
:ulated to sustain values. Needed rains
n the southwest made the outlook
more favorable for the next crop, and
urther weakness in quotations devel-
ped. A sustaining feature was the
Interior movement Of only 1851. 1871
bushels against 3,902,65O last year,
while, on the other hand, total exports
rom the United States were but $685.
~ bushels compared with 4,962,874 a
ear ago. AS to corn, both compari-
ons were striking, receipts aggregat-
ng only 1,S03,950 bushels against
), 131 1897 a year ago, While Atlantic
xports fell to the lowest record for
many years -96,179 bushels against
,3zY, 902 in 1901.
Failures for the week were 232 in the
United States against 200 last year
nd "a in Canada against 80 in 1901.