The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-26
Dun's Finds That Business
Conditions Vary Accord
ing to Locality
FACTORIES ARE ACTIVE
demand for Lumber and building
Material Continues, Flour Ex-
ports Are Increasing and
Meats Well Sustained.

NEW YORK, April Pr G. Dun &
Co. weekly review of trade tomorrow
will say:
Versatile weather has produced cratic
fluctuations in prices and affected bust
ness very differently, according to To-
CAVITY. The extremes were billiards. and
oppressive heat, with every intermediate
variety. As the future prosperity of the
railroads is more or less dependent upon
the crops, the vagaries of the weather
were quickly reflected in the markets for
securities as we'll as in option sales Of
grain and cotton
Retail distribution of merchandise has
maintained good average, losses at some
points being offset by gains elsewhere
manufacturing plants are well employed
except where wage disputes interrupt.
Coffee and silver touched low record
prices but the average of commodities
advanced. Transporting interests main
tain their wonderful record, railway
earnings thus far reported for April ex-
cecdlng last years by SO per cent and
those of 1900 by 1873 per cent
Most large consumers of pig iron have
provided for their needs well up to the
end of the year, and consequently there
IS little change to report in the situation
except as to small orders that appear
from time to time. Quotations received
by cable indicate that pressure in the
United StateS4has produced a decided ad-
vance abroad, and imports, after paying
duty and freight are extremely expen-
siVe.
Lumber Is Still Active.
Movement of partially manufactured
and finished steel products continues on
large scale. A severe setback in Lon
don tin speculation caused a decline here
but other minor
clal feature. Increased output and quick
er deliveries of coke facilitate
work at iron furnaces and re-
duce the price, while the low
er list for anthracite coal has stimulated
orders Lumber and building material are
having the usual spring activity
Manufacturers OF cotton goods are still
behind with deliveries and active machin-
cry is assured for some time. Labor
disputes have been temporarily adjusted
making the output very heavy as COM
pared with recent weeks when the strikes
were causing interruption. New orders are
small recent liberal export demand be-
ing checked, it is thought by the fall in
silver Jobbers have received requests
for more prompt delivery, retail trade
having expanded with the warmer wealth
er. Quotations of cotton goods are firm
~ held, the strength of the raw material
giving support. Independent wooden mills
are working night and day.
wool moves slowly and in some in
stances prices are shaded, but as a rule
holders insist on fall figures. Footwear
shops at the East have few orders, and
shipments from Boston continue to &C.
crease. Jobbers have sufficient stocks to
supply the retail demand and are in
clined to delay placing contracts. Shops
at the West are more fully engaged, buy
ing leather freely. Leather is quiet, with
out chance in price, but domestic hides
have again risen and foreign dry hides
are scarce.
Fewer Failures Reported.
While the prospects for a full yield of
wheat are less bright than they were
a week ago. the sharp rise in prices must
be attributed in part to skillful manlpu-
lat1on by interests recently prominent in
the stock market. Lack of moisture has
checked growth in the Southwest and
snow has retarded farm work in some
spring wheat states, but it is probable
that there is the customary exaggeration
of damage reports for speculative pur-
poses. A year ago there was a sharp ad-
vance in price on gloomy reports, vet the
final yield proved to be a record break
err
Exports from all parts of the United
States, including -four were 4041 e14
bushels, against 8, 4S3 9S7 last year, ship
ments being mainly of wheat purchased
! before the advance. Exporters made fes
new contracts at the higher prices Corr
was attracted to market by the better
terms offered, receipts for the week
| reaching 1884, 479 bushels against ], I3S, 1896
bushels a year ago, but Atlantic exports
fell off to 340217 bushels against 1875. 15C
| in 1901
Meats were well sustained. Cotton rose
to the top point of the season on light
receipts and reports of reduced acrea ge
| Not only has the planting season been
retarded by bad weather but there is
evidence that grain will be largely sub
stituted owing to high prices of the past
season.
Failures for the week number 212 fl
the United States against 215 last year
and Is in Canada against rs a year ago
Check Put on Trade.
Bradstreet's tomorrow will say:
Despite and indeed partly because
of marked irregularities in wealth
er conditions and extreme tenn
peratures accomplished by deterioration
in the winter wheat crop of the South
west, general business and speculation
have been Of very full volume for this
season Of the year Retail demand was
relieved from the incubus of backward
weather by the hot wave which swept
over ldrBe part OF the country this
week. This has resulted in a fair record
business from wholesalers and iobbers in
the East. but the talk of crop damage
put check upon demand In the Central
West and Southwest, and wholesale trade
reports from these sections are not as
good as earlier looked for although
showing some improvement over a year
ago.
In the Northwest snow and rains check
ed retail trade and distribution, but the
general effect has been rather to impro re
the ultimate crop and business outlook
than otherwise, although delaying seed
ing somewhat. Some notable price move
ments have occurred this week, and taken
as whole the number Of staples and Of
securities reporting record prices has been
very large.
On the other hand the advancing sea
sons effects have been to break prices
of eggs and butter and some other food
products. Among the industries activity
has remained as great as heretofore and
the labor situation has rather improved
particularly in the building and allied
trades, which report unsurpassed activity
prevailing.
Wheat Breaks the Record.
The cereals and to a lesser degree hog
products generally responded promptly to
the Southwestern wheat damage reports,
which, coupled with very heavy decreases
in the visible supplies, particularly in
Manitoba and the Northwest, resulted III
the highest prices of the crop season be-
ing reached for cash wheat. Corn, too,
almost broke the season record. Crop re-
ports to Bradstreet's indicate that beyond
doubt tha Kansas wheat cron xxraS