The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-08

NhW 1OIbh, AldTCn tO-
morrow will say:
Spring trade increases despite serious
Interruptions in the section adjacent to
the Alleghenies, caused by the floods,
Stow storms, interrupted telegraphic and
mail facilities, and crippled railroads.
Western and Northwestern advices are,
Of course, relatively the best received,
and here dry goods. millinery clothing
and kindred lines Of spring goods are
most active.
| At leading Eastern markets textiles
have felt the quickening of demand and
prices have strengthened in many lines.
The strength of textiles generally, but
of cotton and cotton goods particularly,
is in fact second only to the strength
! displayed in. iron and steel All avail
able measures of mid winter trade point
to exceptional activity, despite unfavor-
able weather conditions.
February clearings, as a whole, not
Withstanding reductions at the metropolis
due to dullneSS in speculation, are
slightly larger than a year ago. all
ures are no more numerous out a few
large bank suspensions, due to m4sman-
agement or worse, have swelled liabili-
ties one-fourth above a year ago. Prices
slight increase in strength of textiles,
dairy products among provisions, live
stock, coal and coke and building ma
terials. All signs in fact, favor the
indication that legitimate trade and in
dustry is, except in few instances, con-
siderable more active than a year ago
at this time.
Wage Agreement Helps Iron.
Although there is less apparent tension
in iron and steel, the situation is really
remarkable one. Floods and high
water have interfered with production,
limiting supplies Of fuel hampering pro-
ductive operations and checking sh p
n1ents. Most grades of pig iron are high
ef in prices by from % to SO cents per
ton. Finished products are active. Steel
rods sell at the highest prices for many
months, bar iron is higher cut nails
have advanced and light rails have also
been put up. A favorable feature is the
settlement of the wage scale agreement
by the tin plate mills.
1t has been narrow market for ne
cereals with price changes few and the
government crop report of March 10 on
supplies in farmers hands still hanging
over the market. Hog products are
Slightly weaker and speculation has nat
urally been almost absent
Wheat, including flour, exports for the
week aggregate 4,C95, 944 blu, against g.
$40 last week and 1929, 52S in this
week last year. Wheat exports July 1,
1901 to date (thirty-six weeks aggregate
1874, 2,377 bu, against 1877, 47S,206 last sea-
son. Corn exports aggregate 352, 406 bu
against ,6G4 last week and 3,956137 last
year. July l, 1901, to date, corn exports
are 23,471,660 bu, against 134, 531. 1856 last
season.
Raw cotton has continued on its upward
march, aided by bad weather conditions
checking the interior movement and
shorts have been forced to cover almost
continuously. While a crop equal to
last years is more generally conceded
the fact that exports are Is per cent larg-
er is taken to indicate that American
spinners are short Of supplies, reversing
the position of two years ago, when
foreign manufacturers held off and lost
money. Cotton goods are very generally
strong and tend upward.
Print Cloth Industry Hampered
The outlook in Fall River print cloth
industry is not settled as yet, wage
scale differences constituting a menace
to continued activity. Wooden goods are
fairly active, plain dress goods and over
coatings displaying the most interest
Fine Woolens are in limited supply and
firmer with Australian grades tending
upward.
The boot and shoe and leather trades
are exceptions to the more or less general
activity in other lines. Shipments from
Eastern markets are slightly larger for
the week and 9 per cent ahead of last
year, but the new demand is quiet and
leather shares the dullness, this being
reflected in shaded prices in February
for hides and for union and oak tanned
leather.
Business failures in the United States
for the week number 17S as against 2O4
last week, 20S in this week last year, Is
in 1900 1T in 1899 and 247 in 1898 Cana
dian failures for the week number % as
against q last week and 80 last year