The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-21
BIZ NEEDS A COLD WAVE.
EVEN SANTA CLAUS FINDS IT TOO
WARM TO HUSTLE.

The Coal, Clothing and Shoe Trades
Especially Affected by Winters De-
layed Arrival Soft Roads PrevenG
Country People from Coin z to Town.
Effect OF the Farmers Allianca
Stores.
NEW YoRK, Dec. 20.-R. G.. Dun &
Co.'s weekly review of trade reads as foks
lows:
The mild weather causes increasing
trouble. Perhaps the coal trade sufferz
most. The dry goods and boot aud shoe
trades are much affected, especially in ar
ticles for winter wear, and In some quarters
even the holiday trade is restricted by the
unreasonable weather. The bad state oG
the country roads cuts off much tradinEsl
renders many retail dealers unable to meeG
their obligations, and small failures
have become alarmingly frequent. Quite
unfortunate embarrassments in clio hing
are feared, unless winter weather comeal
Another unfavorable feature appears. Tx
some southern states trade is seriously
affected for the time by the operations %
the farmers alliance, which enlists the(
farmers in cooperative trading, and abb
serbs money which might otherwise go To-
settle Indebtedness with merchants. Tho
result, ia some localities, almost paralyxaa
trade.
GENERAL REPORTS GooD.
But the general tenor of the reports as ton
the condition of business, excep ing al
temporarily affected by the weather, Is by
no means unfavorabIe The volume of
trade continues larger than a year ago. The
clearinSs outside of New York are still
10 per cent larger than last year. and rails
road earnings show handsome increase.
notwithstanding the inabii of many
roads TO furnish cars for the freight offered.
The iron business seems for the moment
shade less promising. Dealings are now
small, most of the heavy consumers having
supplied themselves at lower prices than
those now asked. Recent sales Of 60,000
tons Of Bessemer pig, at $2l So are supp
posed to have supplied the needs Of large
consumers; aud with additional furnaces
turned to the production Of this kind
OF iron, the future of prices IL
less clear. Rails are quiet, and
it is believed that orders have been booked
already for 100000 tons, deliverable next
year. The actual output this yesr, includ=
ing light rails is believed to be 1,450, coo
tons, against 1864, ,447 last year. Bar iron
has been advanced to 2 cents by ths
association, but it is quiet. Plata
and structural iron are firm
AS surprising reversal Of tha
usual order of things 1t is noted that an
English order for 10000 tons Of pig iron
has been received. with a margin OF "a per
ton deposited, and an English house has
asked prices on $4,000 feet Of wrought iron
| pipe, which is said TO be selling at IL centS
| net. against 1868 CO IS net in this country.
| EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.
| The exports in November appear TO have
exceeded tho-e of last year by nearly or
| quite $40 1000. 900, tho increase in value of
cotton, breadstufRs. provisions, cattle and
| petroleum having been over Sl5, 5,000, 900,
| But since Dec. the export trade has been
a little smaller, showing for three weeks q
decrease Of ll1S per cent. in comparison
with last year, though the imports show an
| increase OF 1871 per cent.
Money Is still close here at per cent on
| call; tight at Philadelphia, and unchanged
but with liberal demand at Chicago. and
an insufficient supply for legitimate busil
ness at western and southern points genera
ally.
The speculative markets have been
rather dull. Oaly S,o00,0 coo bushels of wheat
have been sold here, TIE price advancing
| about l cent, and the change thus far haA
been less than would naturally follow the
close Of navigation. The sales Of
corn have been ,5,5Qo,OO0 bushels,
with fractional decline, but oats
are a shade stronger. Pork has dropped 25
cents per barrel and lard a shade. OIL is II
cent lower, with sales Of only 100000 bars
| rels for the week CJffee is 3S cent lower.
| with sales Of 33l 900 bags. Though the red
ceipts and exports OF cotton both fall littla
below those OF the corresponding week lasb
| year, the price is unchanged
In the stock market dulness and de-
preston have been followed by stronget
tone.
The business failures during the last weeks
were 342. For the cor esponding wsek of
| last year the figures were 81.