Show H TAOE S MPROVNG Seasonable Conditions Now Rule Business j REPORTS ARE CHEERFUL Quietness in Wholesale Lines Is Usual nt This Period Industries Are Fnirly Well Employed and Strikes Arc Pew and Far Between PricesShow Few Changes Most Staples Being Steady The Metal Market Is Steady Except in Tin Speculation in Cereals Dull t New York Dec 2L BraOsLreets tomorrow to-morrow wijl say Seasonable conditions condi-tions rule In trade at prcsent Holiday I Holi-day trade activity is j widespread and I comparisons with previous yearn are favorable at most markets with the rouble exception of some parts of the JsorlliwcHt where the spring wheat shortage and unseasonable weather har checked distribution Notable rh rful reports come too from Western J West-ern Jobbers who have been called on c 1or reasserting orders and who report cnikTllons good quietness In wholeuEle lines Is usual at this period but It Is to be noted that specially good advices come from the Iron and steel hardware groceries iincy goods toys and confectionery rradfs while a distinctly cheerful tone jq found In shoes leather and lumber although Eastern shipmentsof the first nain < d arc still considerably smaller than last year S Industrial lines are fairly well employed em-ployed and strikes are far and few be tueen Prices show few changes most S staples being steady but It might he jiotd that most farm products are nilghtly higher than last week and iv dl above 1H9 i New business in pig Iron Js small but values are steady which Indicates comiwnui MI i no luture outlook in spile ol reiterated stories of a large cut In ore prices next season the probability prob-ability of which is being denied Bes EPimr pig and steel billets arc linn and tin latter market is reported well under conliol Here production is increasing but stoolcs are smaller Finished products arc a trine quieter but much moro active than Usual at this tjme of the year Platen arc active and hold all the late advance Business in hardware is very active and at leadIng lead-ing Western points the seasons business busi-ness is reported the best on record In Klruituiul material an immense S amount of business Is I still being placed and specifications are coming forward fieely Export trade Is quieter und there are cabled reports of shutdowns of Proteh Iron producers S The other metals are steady except S I In tin which is weak on reports of largci shipments from the far East S Speculation In the cereals has been narrow dull und featureless but prices have been aided by shorts covering on Argentine crop reports advices of an exportable surplus from that country of only luOOOPOO bushels and the poor grado of receipts at the Northwest S Corn receipts irc large but little of It grades to contract while the export business holds up the price pf the cash article Cotton following the reasonIng reason-Ing n to a largo supply being needed to satisfy oven a much reduced consumption con-sumption few signs of which arc yet prcscnlod and favored by smaller receipts S re-ceipts is slightly higher on the Week and quotations are now about where they vpre before the late break Wool Is i fairly acllvek mostly for territory ter-ritory t gralcs but the woolen goods situation Is I still unchanged Lumber Js dull ut retail but firmly held by vholcsalers who look for a good trade nru year Bad weather restricts logging log-ging oppratlons In the Northwest Eastern shoo manufacturers are well euppliod with orders and leather Is firm but hides are generally reported dull and easier Wheat Including flour shipments for the week aggregate 1123350 bushels bush-els against lTSSoT bushels last week 25513711 bushels in the corresponding week of 1899 5513231 in 1S9S ITpTSBO bushels In 1897 and 01170H < bushels in 1SP6 From July 1st to dato this season sea-son vJieat exports are 90110353 bushels bush-els against 1003S3636 bushels last season sea-son and lloLMCOSl bushels in 1S9S99 liuslncKS failures In the United States for llio week number 2CO as against 21 i last week 211 In this week a year ago 212 In 1S9S and 2bO in 1S97 Canadian failures for the week number 28 against is last cek 29 In thJa week u year ago 3J in 1898 and SO in 3S97 |