The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-01-14
STATE OF TRADE.
The T~o Weeks in January shos a Dull Condition
Of Trade


OF Trade.
NEW YORK, January 13.-R. G. Dun
& Co.. in their weekly review of trade,
say that with perhaps a little more than
usual dullness for the first half of JAN
uary business still progresses without
monetary pressure, or unusual embarrass-
ment from failure of collections in any
part of the country. While failures at
some points are numerous the aggregate
is less than a month ago. Within thirty
or sixty days payments on large fall pur-
chases will be required and some in
crease i'm failures would not be surpris-
ing, for the shrinkage in business toward
the end of last year indicated that there
had been Over-confident buying i'm some
departments, but the new year opens
with less embarrassment from that or
other causes that were reasonably appre-
hended- The speculative markets are
generally dull, which is not a bad symp-
tom for Legitimate trade. Industries are
somewhat disturbed by strikes and legis-
lative and business uncertainties.
The great coal strike grows more ef-
fective and outside of stock exchange
circles does not seem near an end, but
the actual output of coal for the first
weeA of January was 5.3 per cent. larger
than for the same week last year. The
shortness of the supply and high prices
disturb manufacturers at Philadelphia
and many other points, and it may
prove unfortunate for Northern iron
producers that they are just now led by
the temporary stoppage of some fur
naces to hold prices firmly when South
ern makers are effecting contracts at.
SEQ for No. l, and $l6 for mill iron. In
rails there is no change. Sales of bar at
$1.90 at Philadelphia show weaknes IS,
while the rail market is sitter at $2.05.
Furnaces in blast January l., were in
capacity 7,015 tons below the record of
December 1, a larger decrease than was
expected, but the increase in comparison
with January |, 1897, is about IA 600 tons
weekly and the output last year is
reported by the Iron Age at 6,433, SOL
tons, a gain over 1886 of 13 per cent.
The association reports that
2,049, ,63S tons of steel rails were made.
a gain of 81 per cent. over 1856.
The unusual prosperity of cotton man
ufactories, with fair prices and well sus-
tanned demand, has led to demands for
higher wages for spinners, which
threatens to end in a serious strike. At
present the effect is to hasten purchases
and stiffen prices.
Woolen business shows no definite i'm
provement.
Reports from the interior present fewer
| ing everywhere quiet or dull, as is usual
at this season, money being generally
easier, with some tendency to stringency
at st. Paul, and collections being at all
points fairly satisfactory on the whole.
At Philadelphia ON account of the strike
in the coal regions, there is some feeling
| of disturbance and there and at other
points apprehension of Congressional ac-
| ton affects some calculations, though
| most persons are confident that no really
harmful legislation will result.
The exports in December will probably
show more decrease than has been anti
cipated i'm comparison with the same
month i'm 1886, for the decline in cotton
was I29, ,O0O, 900 pounds, or $1O,s!1 1927.
Oil exports were ) 800, 900 gallons larger,
but prices being lower the increase in
value was only $685., ,sal. At New York
the exports for the two weeks of jan
uary show a decrease of two per cent.
The business failures occurring through
| out the country during last week mum
30; or total of 2ss, as against 272 Last
week.