New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-20
COMMERCIAL SUMMARY
General Report of Conditions by
Commercial Agencies.

r Dun & CO. and BradStreet. In a general
reflection Of the country's status r. G. Dun
4 60. publish the following;
An interesting development is the re-
Moved strength OF silver, which is attrb-
p.ed in Part TO the reduced production in
Mexico and to the increased consumption
nv India. Current statistics are stu favor
,bo Bank cesrings this week gained Z
ner cent over 1911 and "a per cen. over
1910 outside Of New York, and 1914 and 2l.s
ner cent, respectively, at New York Rail
road earnings in the first week of May in
creased "a per cent. Foreign trade main
tains its imposing proportions. Tho total
commerce of the Port Of New York during
the latest week was &SS,S7s.215 against Ssh
si OSs IN 1911, and SIS, 435,979 in 1910 Exports,
rh,Io about 100000 less than the imports,
reported gain of 50, PSI over 1911 and Of
c9aSsS6 over 1910. The governments report
of foreign commerce in April showed total
EXPORTS Of over sl79oC0,0co the largest for
that month on record The imports were
also heavier than in any previous April
"All advices from iron and steel centres
active business is expected during the sum-
mer months One OF the most significant
developments Of the last week was the
Offering If premiums for early delivery OF
plates the situation generally rejecting in
creased strength. There is a broadening
demand from the railroads. With rail con
tracts still an important factor, and car
builders are booked well into the fall. The
larger steel plants are now operating close
10 capacity, heavy specifications having
come forward on bars, plates, shapes.
sheets and tin plates. while the output Of
iron Is on a larger scale than ever before.
Deliveries Of steel materials are not so
prompt as in recent weeks and billets have
advanced % cents a ton. with Bessemer
billets commanding a slight premium over
open hearth. Indications point 10 a slight
rise in Bessemer iron, which has nomlnaHy
remained at H425, valley, and basic iron
also shows a firmer tendency. Pipe and
tube shipments this month are exceeding
the movement in April and makers OF
wrought pipe have enough orders ahead TO
carry beyond the first half Of the year.
Coke is now being produced at rate ap-
proxjmating 10000 tons weekly. and con-
sumers are showing considerable interest
IN providing for distant needs.
liabilities Of commercial failures thus
far reported for May amount 10 so.46l.9l5,
Of which N.7Ss,999 were in manufacturing,
1858. SIS in trading and $ll9,S9S in other COM
mercisl lines Failures this week num-
bered SIS in the United States, against 253
last year. and twenty-one in Canada, com
pared with thirty year ago.
Referring 10 railroads and their earnings
Dun & Co. have the following:
Gross earnings of all United States rail
roads reporting for the first week Of May
make q very satisfactory comparison with
year ago. the total agsregating SI32le'o'
gain Of "A per cent. as compared with the
earnings Of The same roads for the CORE
spending period last year. and a much pet
ter exhibit than that for the first week OF
any preceding month so far this year. Very
few roads report smaller earnings than a
year ago and where q loss occurs II is usu-
ally small and much less pronounced than
while ago on the other hand, many lead
ing systems IN widely separated parts OF
the country make much larger returns,
notably in the West and Southwest being
Missouri Pacific. St. Louis Southwestern,
Texas g. Pacific, Denver & Rio Grande'
MINNEAPOLIS, st. Paul & Sault ste. Marie
and International Great Northern, while IN
the south there is marked improvement on
Chesapeake & Ohio, Central Of Georgia,
louisville & Nashville, Southern and Gin
stsDnati New Orleans Texas Pacific.
These increased earnings clearly indicate
-tiiat the volume Of railroad business is be-
ing very well maintained. and point 10 the
movement Of a large quantity Of miscel-
laneous merchandise In the following
table are given the gross earnings Of all
United States railroads reporting to date
FOR the first week of May and the gain, as
compared with the earnings Of the same
reads for the corresponding period year
ago; also for practically the same roads IN
the two preceding months, together with
tie percentages Of gains over last year
May on. week........ s7,321.6I6 s5o42i5 -
March. on one wsek....... 7,45o27o a3874e -
Dun & Co. show the Canadian conditions
IN the following paragraph:
The leading trade centres Of the Do
minion Of Canada uniformly report a very
satisfactory situation at practically every
fNatAt uisAl IBNlipn VI cSoepi4obiN AHS+ N'A"''
disc being i'm large volume and the future
outlook strengthened by the favorable con-
oitlons In the agricultural districts. Gross
earnings OF all Canadian railroads report
ing 10 date for the first week of May show
an increase of 176 per cent, as compared
with the earnings of the same roads for
the corresponding period a year ago. Com
nercial failures In the Dominion OF Canada
this week numbered q, against p last week
and % in the same week last year"
Referring 10 commodity prices, which are
Interesting, in view OF the high cost OF
living, Bradstreet's has the following:
Liquidation has been In evidence this
Week In the cereal markets. which has been
Moderated by rather more optimistic crop
reports. Wheat has displayed most weak
hess. and something like collapse of prices
was Witnessed on Thursday, when drop
OF nearly five cents occurred in Chicago
May on large total Of sales. The net de-
cline for the week is 2q4 cents at New
York and sac cents At Chicago, Corn is off
Sgs cents and oats arc cents lower part
~ In sympathy with wheat and partly be-
cause Of better weather and crop reports,
present or prospective.
rev crops OF vegetables ana potatoes
are coming 10 market, and high premiums
are disappearing both on old and new po-
tatoes. Eggs are inclined TO ease trifie
and butter is of cents. Hog products and
PROVISIONS are lower despite a new high
record temporarily reached on live hogs at
Chicago.
Cotton has been irregular easing on
sgns OF better weather. advancing sharply
s'fter on predictions OF q poor government
crop report, but winding up lower and gal