St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-05
Chicago, Milwaukee or Duluth.
eR Quotations furnished Oh application.
REVIEW OF TRADE.
r.. G. Dun & Co. Say a Hopeful
Feeling Everywhere Prevails.

FeelfnG everywhere PreVa1lS.
New YORK, Jan. 4.-R G. Dun & Co.'S
weekly review of trade will say: The new
year opens with no important change in
business prospects. A hopeful feeling every
where prevails, and at the same time the nat
ure and extent of retarding influences are
more clearly recognized. Prominent among
these are the unreasonable weather, which
prevents the usual distribution of many
products: the disposition of farmers TO hold
back products, speculative reports having
created a hope of much higher prices: and
the widespread disturbance of trade
by railroad wars and discrimina-
tons. The unusually open winter, too,
kets, and it is especially disturbing to the
greatIumber trade of the Northwest Rail
road arrangements do rot stop the discrim-
nations of which merchants in most of the
Western towns are complaining. while the
hopes of stockholders were chilled by news
of cutting in Western passenger rates within
one day after the new compact took effect.
In spite of these influences. reports of the
condition of business are generally favorable.
The growth of manufacturing at many West
ern points is notable feature. and especially
in the gas regions, and at points in Northern
Illinois and Iowa. Merchants generally
reckon up large increase in the amount of
business last year, though toward the close
the movement was disappOintiugly slow. The
hardness of collections, due i'll different sec
tons to short or late crops. to yellow fever,
to mild weather. or to retarded distribution
or marketing. is also matter of general
complaint. At many cities the record of
building shows a surprising increase espe-
cially at the West; and in Philadelphia the
buildings erected were 900 more than in
1887. The present state Of trade is generally
quiet, even more than is usual for the season.
but the monev markets, though usually well
supplied, have a better demand at Philadel-
phia. Cleveland. Detroit, Milwaukee, Omaha
and Sioux City The volume of currency,
practically unchanged during December is
now 81. 406, 0GO,O0O, only S1.5GO00p below
Der last. A year ago it was Sl.384,O0O, 900;
in July. 1887, only $3.50, OnO,O0O. and in
July, 1886 only ST., 25O. 100000. During the
last week the treasury has taken in S50J,0UO
more than it has paid out, and the Bank of
England's statement leads to the belief that
But the merchandise exports for the past
month fromNew York have exceeded those of
the previous year 1.16 per cent, against an
increase of % per cent in imports, which
exports over imports for the month The
course of the stock market thus far has
disappointed those who looked for rapid ad.
vances; prices average soc per share
lower than a week ago, and reports of
rate cutting have bad influence.
There was serious fear of extensive strikes
on Western roads. but the latest dispatches
indicate that all difficulties have been ad
justed. Speculative markets have not been
active, excepting for lard. which has de-
c.ined over l2c Coffee is s4c higher,
with sales of 263,t'00 bags. COttonis steady,
with sales of 36s. 900 bales, ard wheat an
changed with sales of 20.000,t 90 bushels for
the week. Corn is l2c lower, and oas Ic
fined zoe per 100 gal. lower. The general
tendency of prices ia still downward ard the
average IL per cent lower than Dec.
l. and 6 per cent lower tina, at the