The Wichita daily eagle., 1904-05-04
PRICES HAVE FALLEN
Nearly All Domestic Produc-
tions Are Cheaper.
THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS
Cotton, Wool, Wheat, Oats and
Petroleum Higher.

Washington. May s--Prices OF nearly
all the great classes of domestic produc-
ton have materially fallen during the
past year, the chief exceptions being cot
ton. wool wheat. corn. oats. and refined
petroleum. On the other hand, prices Of
imported articles for use in manufacture
ing have advanced during the same per-
iod. This statement summarizes in a
few words the picture of price stoday
compored wit hthose Of year ago. as
presented by the Department OF Com
merce and Labor through its Bureau Of
Statistics.
The Bureau of Statistics has for many
years published in its Monthly Summary
of Commerce and Finance quotations OF
prices of about 80 leading articles enter
ing into the markets of the United States
.One-fourth of these, perhaps. are import
ed articles. and include rubber, hemp,
sisal. jute, raw silk raw sugar. and cof-
fee. The articles of domestic production
which il quotes include pig iron (Besse-
mer and Southern, bars of iron and steel,
stel billets. steel rails, tin plate. petro-
leum tcrude and rehned) refined suagr.
copper lead, zinc. and leather. The quo
tations presented are in each case those
for a given day of each week in the lead
ing market for the article named-in most
cases New York, though in a few articles,
such as beef cattle. Chicago prices are
named, and, in the case of certain manu-
factures of iron and steel. those of Pitts
burg are presented.
The latest issue Of the Monthly Sy,ro-
mary of Commerce and Finance presents
a study of these prices and also shows
the prices from week to week. running
back through the entire year, and thus
ena abIes a comparison of prices in March,
1904. with those OF March 1908. for GER
tain dates in that month in many cases
as late as the 18th. A study of the prices
thus presented. comparing those of the
latest available date with those OF the
corresponding date one year ago. shows
an increase in prices of about one-haif Of
the imported articles named and a de
crease in but two of the number, while
in the articles of domestic production.
numbering some thirty. prices are less
in March. 1904, than these of March. 1893,
in practically all cases except cotton.
WOOL wheat, corn, oats. beef cattle, and
refined petroleum. or kerosene. this
product is popularly designated while
steel rails show no change in price.
Curiously, while beef cattle show an in
crease in price. family beef shows a
marked fall in price Texas steers are
quoted in the Chicago market at s43O per
hundredweight for the fourth week of
March, 1903. and at s. for the fourth week
quoted at $50 for the fourth week of
March. 1903 and s.. 80 for the correspond
ing week in March OF this year Yet fam
lily beef which was quoted at s15 per bar
rel in New York markets for the fourth
week of March. 1903 is quoted at $3.50
per barrel in the fourth week of March.
1904 Mess pork. which was quoted at so
per barrel In March 1903 is given at
$3.50 in March. 1904 Lard. which was
quoted at 10.5 cents per pound in March.
1893 is given at - cents in March. 1901
Oleostearin also shows a fall from 10
cents per pound In March. 1903. TO cents
in March, 1904; tallow, a decrease from
5 scents per pound in March 1903 to 47s
cents in March. 1904. and refined sugar
from 4.6i2 cents per pounG on March u. ?
1903 to as cents on March 10. 1904
Turning to manufactured articles. prac- /
ticalIy all those quoted show a reduc-
ton. Pig iron (Bessemer) shows a fail (
from s2S1o per ton in March. 1898. TO s1435 I
in March. 1894: southern pig iron, from .
321 per ton in March. 1903. to So in .
March. 1901: iron bars. from cents per
pound in March. 1903. TO ~ cents in .
March. 1904; steel bars, from 16 cents per
pound in March. 1919. tod l-41a cents in
March, 1904; steel billets. from s32. 80 per
ton in March. 1903. to s23 in March. 1904:
tin plate from 81 per box of 100 pounds in
March 1913. TO S5s5 per box in March.
1904: leather (oak. middle weight from y