West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1902-03-29
EXCEEDED PREVIOUS SEASONS
So Dun's Review Says Of Distribution
OF Merchandiss-Sore Features
of Week in Business.

OF WEEK IN BUSINESS
Few York, March 29.-R. G. Dun's
Weekly Review of Trade issued to-
day said in part: /
Favorable weather greatly facili-
tated eastern retail trade. the volume
OF transactions in all lines of wearing
appatei being of exceptional magni,
tude. Activity was by no means re-
stricted to the specialties, however,
the general distribution of merchan-
disc exceeding that of previous sea-
sons, with prices we'll maintained. A
distinct evidence. of the vigor Of legi-
innate trade is found in the decline
Of only 21.4 pr cent in bank ex-
changes at New York, notwithstand-
ing the fact that transactions at the
stock exchange were not more than
third of those in the corresponding
week last year. while at other leading
cities clearings exhibited gain o.
9.S per cent over last year and 31.5
per cent over 1899.
Demands for an eight-hour day
after May ! by the blast furnace men
was the most disturbing feature n
the iron and steel industry, and this
is not causing much alarm, as an
agreement will probably be reached
during the intervening month. Pro
duction is now beyond all previous
records, and the movement of coke is
ample, although the early opening o.
lake navigation may withdraw some
Of the transporting facilities which
cannot well be spared. Buying has
been notably active in bars for i'm
plement makers, and producers have
sold their entire output so far ahea l
that new business is not sought Many
plans for immediate structural work
have been abandoned owing to the in
sufficient supply of available material.
On the other hand there are reports
of reselling contracts for all rails
and other supplies by consumers who
have secured larger deliveries than
will be needed. The appearance OF
this speculative element. would be
ominous if quotations were more ex
cessively inflated. Aside from the ad
vance in bar iron at Pittsburgh to
$3.50 and foundry iron at Chicago II
$3.50 there are no important price
changes, Southern furnace products
having been decided to postpone the
contemplated advance.
A severe reaction occurred in cot
ton due entirely to the excessive spec
ulative purchases which made the
market top heavy. A slight recovery
in coffee from the bottom price must
be attributed to aggressive option
| buying, as the statistical position is
not improved, Brazil receipts exceed.
ing last years high record to date
| by over a third. A temporary reduc
ton in refined sugar was quickly re-
stored, as the market for raw grades
| became strong. Meats again advanced
| in the face Of easier grain, helpful
influence being the largest single
order ever placed for the British army
Weakness appeared in the cereals
early in the week, when there was a
certain unanimity about encouraging
weather reports and increased acre
| age. Subsequently there was partial
recovery owing to less cheerful news
from Kansas and Oklahoma. but the
net result for the week was de-
cidedly lower range of prices. Wheat
| exports materially declined from the
satisfactory record of 4,657,625 bush
els last week to only 3,088,642 bush
els this week, which compare with
3936,832 bushels in the same week
| last year. There was decrease in
| western receipts to 2,747,094 bushels
| against 4,052,5 sos bushels a year ago
| but the difference in arrivals of corn
was less striking, 1,976.064 bushels
against 2,682,918 bushels a year ago
Atlantic shipments Of the minor
cereal were only 1884 bushels, com
| pared with 2,946,461 bushels in 1901
According to an analysis of the Off
cial returns by Liverpool authority
| there will be only 100000 bushels
| Of wheat in this country at the close
| Of the crop year, but the statemen;
is based on exports for the last fou;
months of half as much as the record
breaking shipments of the preceding
eight months, which is extremely im
probable. A further alteration in thu
| figures should be made to allow fol
the under estimate of the total crop
Failures for the week numbered 20e
| in the United States, against 206 last
year, and % in Canada, against 20 last
year.