, 1890-12-18
THE SUPPLYOF WHEAT
Ton Million Bushels J,ess
Than a Year Ago.
THE BLOCKADE IN The PALOUSE
Reliable Reports and Statistic,
Gathered by Bradstreet's
Weekly,

According to Bradstreet's adylco,
available stocks Of wheat on Decem.
ber /, 1890, east of the Rocky mount.
aims, In the United States and Can.
ada, amounted to N, ,S43, ,34l bushels
only 06, AIT bushels more than ons
week previously, thus pointing to n
remarkable check in the movement
from farmers hands. AS compared
with year ago the total of available
stocks of wheat given above ia
0,6l2, 900 bushels smaller, and, as com.
pared with two years ago, stocks
held on December 1, 1890, are
1851, 900 bushels smaller.
Stocks of available wheat on De.
cember /, 1880, were larger than on
January /, 1890, after which data
there was II steady decline in the
volume of supplies until the end OF
the cereal year. The question.
therefore, naturally arises at this
time. have available wheat stocks
for the crop year 1S00-9l reached
their maximum proportions US they
did In II like period in the preceding
year? Noteworthy decreases in
stocks of wheat last week were: At
Northwestern interior railway ele.
vators, 364, 900 bushels; on the canal.
216, 900 bushels; at st. Louis, ls3, ,OOo
bushels; ON trunk line railways for
tide-water, III 900 bushels Chicago.
%, bushels; Duluth, $4,000
bushels; Newport News, 64,OO0
bushels Port Huron, 5S, 600 bushels:
Toledo, "a, 900 bushels; Baltimore
SO, 200 bushels, aud Detroit, 44,OO6
bushels. The aggregate Of increases
of wheat stocks was, as stated
above, less than $1,000 bushels in
excess of the decreases. On the
lakes the wsek's decrease reported
is SOL 900 bushels; at Minneapolis.
50., 900 bushels; In Manitoba ele-
vators, 100000 bushels; Canadian
Lake Superior ports, loo, ,00U bushels,
and at Milwaukee, 1900 bushels.
The prolongation of the check to
purchases of wheat by Minnesota
and Dakota elevator companies, or
of sales thereto by farmers, will ac.
count for the net decrease In grain
stocks In the Northwest. IL Is also
worth noting that Northwestern
elevator stocks of wheat were no
larger at the close of December,
1889, than at the beginning of that
month. Should the month of De-
cember, 1890. furnish like move.
ment, "A decrease in the available
wheat supply total would be among
the near probabilities.
When both coasts are considered
the situation differs IA little from
that last considered. California,
Oregon aud Washington have
large surplus of wheat for export
during 1S9O-0l, and with the exten.
sion of the interior elevator system
in those states available stocks con.
tinue to show marked gains over
1850. The wheat blockade continues 4
In the Palouse country, In WASH
ington, north of the Snake and east
there are piled up everywhere--at
railway stations, In barns and un-
der sheds, while the public and
private elevators are full to over
lowing. The crop In this region Is
heavier than ever before, and the
railways find themselves totally un-
prepared to transport the wheat Of
iering for shipment.
The nominal price of wheat at
Coliax, n prominent shipping point
has been Al cents per bushel, with
no one to take advantage of so low
q figure because unable to get cans
to carry the grain to tldewater, or
East across the Rocky mountains.
A conservative estimate in the PORT
land Oregonian of the available ex-
port surplus of wheat in California
is 100000 bushels, and OF the sur
plus grown In Washington and Ore
gon 100000 bushels. 1t may thus
be seen why Pacific coast available
wheat stocks reported to Brad
streets are so much larger than they
were one and two years ago.
Grand totals of wheat stocks I'm \
bushels), United States and Canada,
ahoat tor and in Europe, OH tho
first of each month, January to De-
cember inclusive, this year and last
are IA follows.