St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-01-12
THE YEARS TRADE.


Commercial Condition OF the United statet
IA Formidable Listof Financial Wrecks
- The Depressed State of the Iron and
Steel Industry.
NEW YORK, Dec. %.
The concluding week in December, which
is generally the dullest Of the year in mer.
camille and industrial circles, has proved
no exception to the rule in 1888. Reports
from leading trade centers show that the
merchandise movement has been much
slower. The general feeling appears to ba
an unsettled one. Traders in all lines con.
fess to no anticipations of special activity
in the near future.
THE LIST OF FINANCIAL WRECKS.
The commercial wreck list of tie year is
a formidable one, The following table
gives the total number of failures reported
during each of the last FIVE years:
United States. 6,6S5 1850 500 1874 10, isl
Canada and Prov.2,0T5 $50 COZ 64s 1866
The table below gives the failures dur
lng each OF the two last quarters of 1881
1882 and 1888:
No offailurcs fourth quarterl ,505 2267 $3.50
NO OF failures third quarter. 1,l4O 1858 1853
No. OF failures six months. .2,635 1926 1881
1ue 10tUfIlS Q1 to-day ana MONDAY VIII
increase somewhat the total for the last
quarter Of 1888, and, therefore, of the years.
total.
IRON AND STEEL.
The year 1883 has been less satisfactory
to th9 iron and steel trades than it's prede-
ceSsof. The latter comprised a prolonged
strike at Western iron mills and steady
reduction in prices. This year has brought
no such disturbing labor agStations, but has
i.
limits which were thought to rest on hed>
rock. The decline in prices OF pig-iron has
been from $3.50, January l, to S20G120.50
cash for foundry No. TX. EARLY last
spring contracts tor rails were offered at
SOS and in the summer at $3.50. By fall
the figures had settled TO 5000, though not
announced. November prices were revo-
lutlonized by the Lackawanna Company's
cut to $50 at the mill. Excessive produc-
ton of steel-rails unduly stimulated by
the phenomenal railway building of pre-
ceding years, combined with other and ar
titicial aids, have caused this. The result
was the forced closing of several mills and
the reduction in wages of nearly if not all
from 10 10 10 per cent, 1mp0riations of
British steel rails have rapidly declined.
Receipts for elSYen months are 63,579 tons,
against 1851, 142 tons in eleven months OF
1852, and 49,, G51 tons in 1881.
ANTHRACITE COAL.
The anthracite coal trade closes the year
in q moderately satisfactory condition to
producers. The preceding year was more
satisfactory than 1888, owing to the scale of
prices at that time having been steadily
rising one, while in 1888 it has been falling
Notwithstanding this the trade is in a gem
orally healthy state. States in the West
have exceeded those of any other years.
and promise to increase in the future. The
total output Of anthracite coal Tin Pennsyl-
4
30,Si4 ,223 tons, as compared with 8, IT6, 20f
tons in like portion of 1882. The outlook
for the production during the remainder of
December is approximately 250.G01 tons.
This points to a total production of anthra-
cite for this year of 21,064,000 tons, as CONF
pared with %, 10000 tons in 1882.
TIE WHEAT CROP.
Floods and drouth fell upon the winter
wheat crop of 1882 and 1888. Rust and pest
cFept in, and, as shown by the Govern
met repoI ts, the harvest was 100, 900 900
bushels short OF that in the preceding year.
This ranks the total, allowing slight gain
tor spring wheat, at about 400 ,003 VOC bush-
els, as against 503, 001 900 in 1872 and $685.
100000 in 4SSli. There were 1S6, 300.000
bushels reported as wheat and -four in 1886
81. In l8S1-2, 121 100000, and in 1926,
have been restricted and prices relatively
lew. The visible supply has increased
beyond all precedent being to-day
in excess of 35,000,0G0 bushels, as
against 10. 41S,0I5 bushels July1. Farmers
have sold their wheat freely and appear to
be still doing so. The gross exports from
tie crop of 1928 have been Ito December
Is from July y but 5g,910,9tS bushels, as
against 81, 103,TT2 bushels in like part of
1882, and 43, 4I5,a2i bushels in 1881, and still
Russia, IGdia and Australia are Offering
grain cheap for future delivery. The price
Y II
in January at about. ID .134, advanced to
Sill February 2, to SI.142E February 17and
to 7 20 during the month. To-day it touched
$f.117s.
CORN EXPORTED.
The exports of indian corn have been on
more liberal scale than those of wheat,
but less than formerly. Tic total FROM
July 1 TO December is "a ,807, 10 bushels,
as against 8, 100, IA bushels in a like period
of 1857. In 1888 the exports aggregated
were 41,655,653 bushels of corn and meal
againt II, $40 ,GS3 bushels in 1S81-S2, and 93,-
GS4, ia bushels in 1Ss0.S3, and go, G4S, La
bushels Ill 1sS0-Si. The price OF corn on
January last was g. X cents. FebruaF i
L was 7226 cents, and February II, "a cents.
To-day it touched " cents.
THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY.
This year has brought decreased pro-
duction of oil, and has shown uniformity
of the tendency of the various petroleum
districts to yield less and less, and has me-
cessitated the drawing on stocks through
August, September, October and Novem.
Der, and naturally developed u higher
range OF prices. The exploration of the
aregions" has been very great, with but
little encouragem thus far as tonew and
rich fields of Gil. The main hope in that
direction lies in the statement that unex-
peeted deposits have been discovered.
Others may be following. On the prime OF
the Bradford district came the Allegheny,
and after thai the Cherry Grove tract,
and the average annual price Of crude
per barrel at the wells was in 1880
dnsvr,-- 70 az cant.s. IN 1ag1 "a Raa