Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-02-19
DuN.s REVIEW OF THE WEEK.
Business Nowhere Equal TO That Of the
Season Last Year.

Season Last Year
New York, Feb. 14.R. @. Dun &
/ Co.'S. weekly review OF trade says:
There in some improvement In business at
1 the east and more confident feeling, and
&C Chicago the tone Is very hopeful. But at
! most OF the other western and nearly all
southern points business shows no increase
The payments, through all the
clearing houses for January show
scarcely any increase over last
year, although the yearly and quarterly
disbursements on account OF previous bus'-
ness were very much larger than year
\ ago, and the returns for February. thus far.
1 exhibit substantially the same situation.
| It must be inferred that now business is, on
| she whole, somewhat smaller In volume
| than 1t was year ago, Notwithstanding
the advance of about 10 per cent. in the
average prices of commodities. In part,
this is explained by the exceptional activ-
tty toward the close Of last year, but In
part also, by the shortness of crops
and doubts regarding the monetary
future. Those doubts, however. have been
much lessened by events which tend to
| show that no important monetary legisla-
tion is probable for the next year and,
while exports OF gold are announced, the
rate of exchange hardly justifies them as
yet. The industrial outlook Is modified by
the great strike of the Conneilsville coke
workers, which must cut off large supplies
OF iron IL 1t lasts, and by the great decrease
IN the iron output The tone of the mar
ket Is stronger. The cause OF the coke
strike and big sales of pig iron have
been unusually liberal. The coal market
is dull and weak, all agreements to re-
strict production proving farcial in result,
for the output is ranging rs to 80 per cent.
above last years. A war of prices Is ap-
pretended, unless change in the market
demand occurs speedily. The demand for
copper Is limited, orders being confined to
present necessities and lake Is quoted 1414
cents. Tin Is purchased with caution only
at 20.1 cents and lead is Inactive at 43.5
cents.
The demand for wool continues steady
and worsted grades are rising. The COM
mission merchants are extremely careful
about credits. The trade In cotton goods is
fair, print cloths stronger. The boot and
shoe trade shows an improvement as to the
volume, though the prices are not highly
satisfactory. Leather is firm.
The grocery trade is fairly active and In
dicates no decrease In the demand for cons
sumption.
Provisions have been q shade weaker with
a fall OF 1M cents in corn and wheat and
oats have declined each fraction on small
sales, but coffee and oil are stronger and
continue unchanged. The low price Of cot
ton tends to make dull trade at the south,
farmers holding back fer higher prices. But
ut New Orleans the general trade improves
materially; at Nashville 1t opens very WE'LL
though buyers are cautious and, of the
other points reporting, 1t is only
fair or dull. St. Louis reports a fair
volume but no improvement, while Kansas
City finds better wholesale and quiet retail
trade; at Denver and ST. Paul trade is fair
At Minneapolis 1t Is very active in lumber
with excellent logging prospects, At Omaha
1t Is without improvement, and at Milwau-
kee and Detroit quiet. Cleveland reports a
fairly good trade in most lines, and pig iron
slightly better, but 100000 tons OF ore are
ON the docks half unsold. Pittsburg notes
better demand for merchant iron because of
the strike, and good trade In bottle glass,
but dizziness in other branches of the
glass business. At Chicago wool receipts
are more than double last years
and there Is some increase in
lard and cheese, but q heavy de-
crease In corn and dressed beef. The dry
goods. clothing and shoe trades consider
ably exceed last year. Philadelphia re-
ports an improvement In wool and fair
trade.
Throughout the country the money mar
kets are comparatively easy and undis-
turbed, though the demand is good and the
supply hardly adequate. At Cleveland and
Denver and Milwaukee are the only cities
at WHICH collections are reported slow; at
most places they are fair or good.
The business failures occurring throughout
the country during the past seven days
number 297 as compared with total of 800
last week. For the corresponding week of
last year the figures were ROO