The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-01-20
WEATHER AND LA GRIPPE IN TRADE.
Where Winter Arrives Business Be-
gins to Look Up,
u the Influenza Leaves People
Enough to Transact 1t.
Some Mercantile Points Gathered by
r. G. Dun 4 Co.'s Agencies.

New YORK, January 1S.-The Weekly
Mercantile Agency, says:
Important improvement in business is
noted wherever the recent change to colder
weather has been felt. Elsewhere unseasen-
able weather is still the chief complaint, but
everywhere interruption of business and
manufacturing by the prevailing sickness is
observed, and many factories have been
forced to close because so many of their en-
ployes were unable to work. To nearly all
kinds of trade it means not only delay in
production or dealings, bat some shrinkage
in the ability Of great numbers to purchase
products. But in spite Of this the volume of
trade is large.
East bound shipments from Chicago last
week were the largest ever known. The ex-
ports OF provisions are heavy, the lard move
ment last week reaching 1885,, 1862 pounds.
The clearings OF banks last week were not
only the largest on record for that part of
the year. but showed an increase over last
year Of IL per cent outside Of New York.
The weekly output Of pig iron January
was 174.03S tons, against 1915 December /.
increase in production last year over previ-
GUS estimates. Unless consumption Of fin
fshed products is not only sustained, but ex-
panded, the output Of pig iron can hardly
continue at the present rate.
The wool and woolens trades show dis
tinct signs'ef division between light goods
and worsteds and the heavier goods of near
ly all kinds. The latter are seriously de-
pressed by the unreasonable weather and ac-
cumulation of stocks from the last
open winter, or purchased early for
this season, but not yet distributed. Man
nj atn nf hnu
work part time, or walt, and the kinds Of
weols which they require are weaker. But
there is q marked,reyival In the trade for do
mestic worsteds and ligh. goods, believed to
be due to the changes last year in s-easury
rulings, now for the first time felt. Manu-
facturers are busy and hopeful, and the de-
mand for such wool as they can use Is strong,
prices being firm. The boot and shoe indus
try Is largely, and the two textile manufac-
lures somewhat disturbed by labor contro-
versles In Eastern, States: But the ship
ments OF boots and shoes from Boston in.1S89
were ,399, $50 cases, an increase of A per
cent. over 1888, and so per cent since 1880
Reports from various quarters are, on the
whole, more favorable. Collections are quite
generally slow, because of retarded distribu-
few points. Boston notes that South Amer
ican hides have sold at the lowest point ever
reached, but leather Is In fair demand, and
groceries selling well. Philadelphia observes
very active drug trade, quiet In produce,
paper and tobacco, some discharge Of hands
by printing houses, fair orders for staple dry
goods, both slow collections and numerous
small failures in clothing, and fair hardware
Trade with slow collections. At Chicago,
business exceeds last years in dry goods, in
boots and shoes, with much recent improve
ment and very largely in grain and provl-
sions, but clothing is dull and out of season.
At st. Louis. weather has checked distribu-
ti0n, but otherwise trade Is steady. Manu-
facturers at Cleveland are active, and nearly
all trade is dull, and at Detroit much affect
ed by mild weather, but improvement in
weather and trade Is seen at Omaha, st.
Paul and Milwaukee. All Southern reports
note active trade. The exports of cotton,
provisions, oil. breadstuffs and cattle in De-
cember were $74, ,449, ,727. against So, ,045, ,345
in 1888, which points to an aggregate of ex-
ports exceeding $94000.000 for the month,
and again surprising imports by S26,OO0.O0O.