New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-21

| ~ securities in which there was confidence, buy
| ing advanced prices, but the rest declined.
! Since the first Of the year only about half the
securities have declined at all, while twenty-slz
| ont of sixty have advanced mere or less Inc
| general average is but cents higher on slOO
| than il was January O. Other Influences have so
J far neutralzed the good effects of the agreement
between railroad presidents, and chie1 among 'neu
has been perception that. traffic was noO
reviving according to expectation, ana tnao tne
injury done TO railroads by overbuilding and other
| foolishness could not be entirely remover py an
| agreement to quit foolishness
| Foreign trade has better appearance, In spite
| Of a decline in cotton exports after the excep-
tionally large movement of December, for in three
weeks of January only 353, sos bales have gone
| ont against 4l1.O62 last year, and IN spite OF
tho continued suppression OF wheat exports, the
| ,o1ra NJ Goods ekported from New-Y0rk for two
weeks Of January is 90 per cent larger than last
wear. In December the exports OF cotton, bread
stufrs provisions cattle and oil amounted TO
s6s 81 21O2 against s54,545,lO5 last year, which
onoears IN indicate that merchandise exports in
Do.o,rber were probably more than S85, 600, 900
in value. and exceeded imports by more than
sao 600. oOO So heavy q NOV ment is the more
remarkable because in wheat cattle and oil there
was decline in value exported.
The wheat market declined only half cent
last week. corn, oats and cotton each rising
shade. Atlantic exports Of wheat in two weeks
Of January were but 24,4s4 bushels, against
ssG166 last year, and in flour there was de
crease of Oh 900 barrels, but an increase Of $780,
900 bushels corn Flour and refined oil remained
unchanged in price, but crude oil fell 3-S
cents Pork, lard and hogs all declined from
TO 6 per cent and the minor metals were also
weaker but sugar was unchanged and coffee
half cent stronger 1t is difficult TO reconcile the
strength of cotton with the decrease in exports
This MONTH and the increase in receipts at ports,
which have been 413,3s3 bales, against Ss5,s02
last year But wool is also firm, though buyers
arc slow and cautious The iron and coal markets
are weaker, and the supply of Southern iron
has depressed prices half dollar being still offered
about that much below the products OF Eastern
furnaces No change appears in the rail business,
but a heavy cut in steel beams marks the breaking
OF the combination.
Railroads are doing remarkably well, Judged
by their gross earnings, which show an increase
In sxty-seven roads OF 6.7 per cent for the first
week Of January, and on twenty-seven roads
an increase Of l2.4 per cent for the second
week of January. But the returns from interior
cities do not indicate that business Is answering
expectations. At few points IL is considered
active, but nt most IL is quiet. and at some
decidedly dull The unreasonable weather thus
far this winter has materially retarded the mar
ketnS OF goods and the bringing forward Of
products particularly in the Northwestern States,
and yet the Clearing House exchanges, represent
ing in part transactions Of last year and in part
speculative operations, show gain Of about
o per cent over last year for the second week,
and a still lnrger gain for the third week OF the
month. The volume OF new trade must still be
remarkably large, Notwithstanding all the COM
plants Of dulness and it seems probable that
the prevailing disappointment springs quite as
much from tie downward tendency Of prices as
from any slirinlSage In the amount of business
done