The age-herald., 1902-05-17
EATHER AND WAGES
 ONLY BAD FACTORS
Excessive Moisture Makes Crop
 Outlook Uncertain
RETAIL TRADEACCEL ERA TED
Record Breaking Distribution of Pay In Pittsburg Region Responsible. Dun and Bradstreet Both
 Speak of Irregularities.

Now York. May 16.-R. c. Dunn x Go. s weekly review of trade tomorrow will gay:
 Weather and wages continue the only serious disturbing factors In the ousl- ness situation. Excessive moisture and low temperatures made the crop outlook more uncertain, and much depends on continuance of prosperity in the agricui- tural sections On the other hand record breaking distribution of pay in the Pltts- burg region accelerated retail trade while resumption of woolen and other mills added largely to the active force Trans porting lines continue to make splendlo exhibits railroad earnings for the frst week of May exceeding those of year ago by 6.26 per cent, and surpassing the same weeks earnings in 1900 by ls'S per cent.
 As was indicated by weekly reports pig iron production attained ne" record for the month of April at l'oOS' 'Szo tons, and the weekly capacity or iur- naces In blast on May 1, according TO the Iron Age, was S52O64 tons. far surpassing all previous high-water marks. Such an enormous production could suggest ac- cumulation n of supplies, but consumption easily keeps pace, furnace stocks snow ing a decrease of about 1OOOO tons ourlns April to much the lowest point m recent years With about twenty more furnaces in course of construction, or contehplat- ed, an annual output of twenty million tons is no longer considered remote, While the current year may exceed lo,O0O,0oO tors if no serious labor controversy UT other calamity tnterferes.
 Ouotations continue to vary widely ac- cordinc to date of delivery, and there is less spot business ewing to scanty sup plies and to the growing tendency oi con- sumers to place orders for future denV- cry. There is now very little evidence of buyers holding off for break. Rails ana structural supplies are ordered Ireely for delivery next year.
 Footwear manufacturers at the East re- ported an increased volume of orders from Western jobbers, but wholesalers in the principal Eastern centers are placing few fall contracts. Retailers are only sending moderate duplicate orders for summer goods some supplies remaining of early purchases. Sole leather Is qulet- Hides again secured moderate advance in price both for domestic and foreign. In the dry goods market there is evi- dence of increased buying for fall and next spring. but only small supplement tary orders for the present season. Cold i weather has retarded the jooDIng s9ide al | many points. Domestic trade in cottor
 goods is steady, with supplies In strong | hands. but export business Is dull. More
 liberal deliveries of woolen goods are re- | ported showing that fewer looms arc l idle. The best demand is for staple lines | of mems wear and medium grades oi l fancy woolens.
 1 While it is generally agreed that there has been much improvement in the winter | wheat states since the opening of the month, prices became somewhat nrmer | upon the publication of the official report of conditions on May 1. Exports for ten months of the corresponding year assure the heaviest output ever recorded. even if the last two months make poor ex- hibits For the past week exports were 3, 499 764 bushels (fiour included), against 4, ,231, ,246 a year ago. Corn advanced on lighter receipts and reports of slow prog ress in planting.
 Failures for the week numbered FPS in the United States. against IT last year. and F in the Dominion of Canada, com pared with 19 a year ago.