Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-03-06
COMMERCIAL, There

COMMERCIAL EplTCalE-Thcrt
is, perhaps. a slight improvement il
the volume OF trade during the pas
week, though there IS far less activity
III rolnmercial circle. than we are &c
cus'omed to witness early IN the Spring
OF the year As monetary affairs are
exceptionally easy, the country's pro
ducts abundant, and the markets lib
orally supplied with manufactures anG
the necessities and luxuries Of life. The
prevailing busine S apathy must be
ascribed t., the failure of Congress &c
settle ttee currency question. That
Question has been discussed for many
4 consecutive weeks, and yet We are APP
Il parently as far from - settlement as
/ al the beginning. In view OF the pro-
found suspense as 10 what is to be the
j final result, it is impossible for bust
1 ness men to safely mature their plans
\ for the future, ana meanwhile produc-
tive enterprises stand in waiting atti-
tudt. Business, full of all the ele-
ments of promise as il is, is robbed of
its rich opportunities by the prevail
ing uncertainty.
The time has arrived when
n few words to the farmers on
the planting Of the next crop, will. we
think, be Of service Improperly studied.
From all parts of the South We see arti-
Giles urging the farmers TO plant full
grain crop and devote at least part of
their energies to raising provisions.
The advice is sound, and if it had been
followed when urged upon the farmers
in former years, we would not see such
a condition OF affairs as at present ex-
lists. Early in February our merchants
| began to receive letters from the lnte-
! rior asking advances of provisions to
make the crop Of 1874. and they still
are TO such famine as is now desola-
ting India, and arising from the same
cause, the planting Of but one article
OF produce-cottou. Here are farmers
who planted only cotton i'll 1878, who
made n short crop which only sold for
enough to pay It's expenses and left
them 40 surplus, who had no provis-
ions Oil the 1st day of February, and
now are dependent upon soIsebody for
the means to enable them to make the
coming crop. It is painful
position and vely lumiiiating. But
! 1t is upon us and We have to meet the
issue What merchant wants to make
/ advances on crop when he has to
| take all the chances of a failure? when
| he has to advance the money not only
| to pay the taboreIs, feed the teams
| and supply every needf1l thing, but to
| feed number of non-producers, the
/ families of the planter and laborers?
| We mention these matters not to COM
| plain of our inevitable position, but to
unite cur voice with the rest OF the
press of the South aud urge on our
| planters to make IL full crop OF provl-
sions and only make cotton the extra
crop, with which to pay off the debts
| contracted to make the crop of'1S74
| and 10 buy such articles as cannot be
made OF the farm.
The naval store trade Of the week
has been very quiet and there has not
bern much doing in the way OF ira IS
actions. The exports Tor the week
show falling Off, say IN valuation, OF
SO, 900, and were as follows: ., ,.33
bbis Iotin, 2.3lo casks spirits trrpen-
above was shipped Il; or reh Oh ,19s
| b5ls rosin aud l ,839 casks spirits tur-
pentil-c. HosIS.-Strained has been
very quiet and dull most of the week,
ana there have been further conces-
sious IN favor of buyers. The future
outlook does mot pres n anything
very favorable Ill TIE way of improved
prices, and ii j, generally believed we
shall have Il dull la,irket for the cusu
ing month, and III fact until The season
opens. Spirits IURPENTiNE.-T
has also been q general dullness III
this article, and We have - report also
concessions in favor OF buyers. At
the ose the market does not exhibit
any very hattering hopes OF an early
inil rogement IN prices. CRUDE IUK-
Pj5SrINE and TAR are the only articles
which have maintained III any degree,
even steady feeling. The receipts OF
tue two articles are slowly decreasing,
bat the stock IN market J. sutfic emily
large to supply the demand ftr some
time t. come CoTToN.-IEcre is per
hsps less done i'll this staple than IN
any other branch OF trade. Holders
SHOW 10 disposition 10 dispose OF
tleir stocks 1t the pres Iii prices, while
buyers AZ, ;Iot at ali l:.chnci to pay
higher rates than the ruling quota
tons, and even then, Will Hot purchase
to any cxteat. GRAlH.--1he gram
market has been active il the way OF
sales. but III regard to prices there has
also leen decline. CoRN.-Both
cargoes and store quotations have been
reduced y to 5 cents. OATS are quiet
and steady. PEAS are quiet and nomi-
naiIy uJclanged DRY GOODS
There is no essential change in this
line. The Spring trade has not opened
vet, and even the order demand for
keeping up assortme uts for stock is
unusually light. Onr jcbbers are how
ever getting their houses il order, and
some of the new style; OF light ground
prints are on exhibitions, while the
dark prints are place: III the back
ground. What little demand exists is
chiefly for Inc1ium c.llOrS Tor early
Spring wear. The tone of tie market
is firm for leading cotton, and season
able wooden fabrlca. There are Ecme
few changes in prices of other than the
leading staples, MoNET-There has
been quite an active demand for money
in our local market for the past week.
The flow OF currency to the country
has been large but the deposits at the
banks have been in excess Of the
amount drawn out, and SO there Is an
increase Of supply and the market is
working easier ali tie time.
The change i'll prices AMI the chief
features of the market for the week
ending to-day, is reviewed rs follows:
COTTON.-In cotton there has been
very hight business zone during the
past week, and the sales were at
previous figures, though the market
cannot be said to be either active or
firm, and in fact it Las appeared that
the general tendency Of prices have
been downward, and the market is SO
sensitive that only slight causes are
required to develop that tendency in
to an actaal decline. The sales fer the
! 4 70, Hal
OF figures ranging from 8 TO IA cents.
There has been some enquiry for the
| finer staples, but common grades are
dull and the quotations obtained are
| SO low as to be barely quotable. The
| receipts for the week were as follows
Friday, rs bales; Saturday, 50 bales;
Monday ia bales; Tuesday, 126 bales;
Wednesday, 81 bales :; Thursday,
bales. Totai532 bales, against fos bales
| for last week.
! The general Cotton movement for