The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-09
BRIGHT PROSPECTS FOR FARMER FELT They Outweigh Adverse In- fluence ot Strike Situation STEEL IN GREAT DEMAND Pig Iron Is Also Sought By Many Purchasers-saIes for 1903
 Are Now Being
 Made.
STEEL IN GREAT DEMAND

New York, August SIR. G. Dun &
 Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow
 will say:
 Bright prospects in agricultural sec
 tions far outweigh the adverse influence
 of labor disputes which are still retard- ing trade and manufacture. Confidence in the future Is unshaken, dealers every where preparing for heavy fall trade, while contracts for distant deliveries run further into next year than is usual at this date. Railway earnings are fully sus- tained, the latest returns showing an average advance of 3.9 per cent over the corresponding time last year and 21S per cent over 1900. Aside from the fuel scare ity and some congestion of traffic, the iron and steel situation continues pro- pltious. Coke ovens in the Counellsville region maintain a weekly output of about 250,000 tons and find ready buyers at full prices. Much more could be used to advantage. Thus far the imports have had little influence on domestic prices. except as to billets. which are freely of- fered below the home market level. New contracts for pig iron were placed this week covering deliveries in the second quarter of 1903 and structural material Is desired for bridges and buildings that will not be received until even more re- mote dates. Machinery and hardware trade is fully sustained, but there is idle ness at tin plants and glass factories
 The tone of the footwear market is 1rmer, although actual advances have been few. Hides continue their upward movement. Both domestic and foreign hides share the better feeling. the form CT being at about the top record.
 Dry goods buyers are coming into this market to a considerable extent, yet without placing orders of any size. Cot ton goods exporters are practically out of the market, prices in China being be- low the point where the profit is possible. A few lines of cotton are rractionally lower and further declines are possible. Private advices do not endorse the of ficial statement of a lower condition on cotton plantations. Further lines of worsteds have been opened with an ad- vance in keeping with last weeks quo tations, and an indication of stability Is the lack of speculative purchases. Raw wool Is fully sustained at recent ad- vances, the average Of one hundred
 grades showing a gain of nearly cent
 as compared with the level on May 1.
 Splendid growing and harvesting condi
 tions have prevailed In most sections of
 the country, especially where the larger and more important crops are raised. It is now almost certain that the agricul- | tural returns will be far above the av- | craze as to quantity, while the low stocks at the opening of the season are | calculated to sustain prices, and there is little prospect of return to the low | quotations of preceding years of bumper | productions.
 Foreign commerce at this port Is still legs favorable than In the same last week, l last year, exports declining $3.775. 690, while imports increased slightly. Fail
 ures for the week number 196 Tn the Uni ted States against IFS last year and IA in
 Canada against 31 year ago.