Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-01-24
WEEKLY TRADE BULLETIN
BUSINESS THROUGHOUT THE couN-
TRY is RATHER QUIET.

The General Level of Grain and Pro-
visions Prices Is About SO Cents ON
800 Below the First of the Year
! business Failures.
NEW YORK, Jan. 21.-R. G. Dun g.
Co.'s weekly review Of trade will say:
Business throughout the country is rath.
er quiet, even for the season. A fairly
active jobbing trade is reported at sew
eral points when wholesale business is dis
tinctly dull, and prevailing feature seems
to be indis position to take quantities in
view of the unusual uncertainties in
many markets caused by strikes, by spec
%ulation, and by legislative deliberations.
At Chicago speculation has been dull,
and legitimate trade, though there is
some Improvement of late, is less
throughout the west. But in other
sections there lis a gain. At st. Louis
prompt payne mt on past purchases, and
continuing large distributions, are noticed.
AT Louisville values are softer, without
improvement in volume. At southern
points trade Is quiet, and at Philadelphia
a slight improvement in distribution
is observed. Collections are fairly sat-
isfactory at nearly all points, and money
is generally liz fair supply, though close
at Denver and Cleveland. The Lee
high and Reading strikes grow more
effective, and are stopping smany
manufacturing establishments, though
actual deliveries of anthracite are larger
than for the same weeks last year. OPP
orators and retailers vie with each other
In putting up prices. The poverty of the
miners causes serious apprehension
among traders, who remember that their
losses after the strike of 1875 were three
fourths of their accounts. The Iron as
ISOLATION reports GAIT, l4S tons of pig iron
made last year, a gain of Is per cent,
but unsold stocks increased "a, 813 tons.
1t is noteworthy that southern produce
ton was only 6 per cent. over that of
1888; but for activity in ship, bridge
and car building, the trade would be
less hopeful. The Thomas company has
sold No. 2 foundry for pipe at So. II, and
sales of 20, 900 tons Of rails are reported,
but prices do not change. In wool the
little improvement recently seen has van.
lshed, and the market favors buyers
again. The stocks at Boston were over
5000, 200 pounds larger han last jan
uary, but at New York rather smaller,
while Philadelphia stocks are refused.
The demand for wooden goods is mod
crate, but more frequent inquiry gives
hope, and the range of prices is, on the
whole, but little below these of last
year. Cottons ars in strong de-
mand. and many makes advance in
prices. In the leather trade hopes Of i'm
provements are still disappointed, but
the boot and shoe trade is better than
usual for the season. A better demand
for rubber goods is reported, Nearly all
the speculative markets have been weak.
Stocks were weak in spite of large re-
ported railroad earnings and an advance
OF ~ per cent. in east-bound rail rates.
The Reading strike and reported liquida-
ton of a pool on the stock, have caused
some decline, and in other stocks the abb
sence of any public demand is felt. The
average price Isl SO p5T-s:.are lower
than q week ago. Wheat has declined
/ 34 cents, corn, l Ia cents, and lard, @
shade; sugar is weaker, aud coffee dull,
while q slump in oil has punished those
who had faith in the power of curtailed
production to control the prices. The
general level Of prices of all commodities
is now about SOC on 800 lower than
January 1. Yet the treasury, by Deposit
ing %, 800, 600 more with banks, has con-
triyed to take only 5000, 600 from circula-
ton during the week. 1t is significant
that payments in silver celtifitates at the
custom house rise to 10 10 per cent. of
the total. Money is returning to New
York banks in large volume from the in
terror, and foreign trade accounts indi-
cate that the withdrawal of foreign cap
ital in December, probably, did not ex-
coed 81, 200, 900. Exports Of the prin-
eipal products were only $54, 900, 0LO,
against $6S, coo, 600 in 1886, and for three
weeks of January New York exports are
SO per cent. below last year. Exchanges
outside of New York still exceed those of
last year about II per cent. but they re-
fleet rather the heavy business of last
fall, than current transactions. Business
failures occurring during the last seven
days number for the United States, 278;
Canada, 39; total, 314; compared with
2S8 last week and Dol for the correspond
ing week Of last year.