The morning news., 1891-12-19
HOLIDAY TRADE LIVELY.
THE OUTLOOK FOR THE COMING
SEASON BRIGHT

General Trade Showing Only the
Slackening Usual About the Holiday
Time-Hesvy Marketing of Our
Products Across the Ocean sure to
Be Favorably Felt on This Side. IN
NEW YORK, Dec. Is. - The business
failures occurring throughout the country
during the last seven days, as reported to
r. G. Dun & Co., number for the United
States 307, and for Canada 2S; a total Of 3S5
against $50 last week.
As the end Of the year approaches, gen
eral trade slackens and there is perhaps not
more than the usual disposition to defer
large transactions until after stock taking
and the holidays. The holiday trade is now
IN full blast, and throughout the country is
quite large. 1t is satisfactory to see that
from nearly all points reports which note
the inactivity usual at this season also OBJ
serve prevalent and strong belief that the
business of the coming season will be un-
usually large and profitable.
BASED ON GOOD REASONS.
These expectations have warrant in the
fact that the quantity of products mar
| keted during the past few months has been
large beyond all precedent, while the money
markets are well supplied in nearly all
| parts of the country and undiStur6ed by
| any alarm. Commercial credits and conf
! dence are in a satisfactory shape for the
| transaction of an enormous business early
! next year Meanwhile causes OF apprshen-
sion, as respects foreign influences, are dI-
| minishing, and considerable purchases OF
| American securities on foreign account
give increased strengths TO the stock
market.
REPORTS FROM THE CITIES.
At Philadelphia reports are less enoourag-
| ing: dry goods are inactive. though the
| prospect is good, the wool trade is limited; ;
| trade in lumber and tobacco quiet; in hard-
ware dull: in boots and shoes only fair
with rather slow collections, and in grocer
les and chemicals steady, while oils are dull
| and paints at a standstill, but the usual
| holiday activity is seen in jewelry.
At Baltimore, manufactures are active,
| and at Pittsburg iron seems a little sitter,
| and an advance in window glass IS expected.
| The iron trade shows great strength and
larger sales Of pig than for long time, but
| extraordinary weakness is seen in some
finished products Plates are unsettled,
structural iron weak and wrought pipe are
demoralzed.
RAILS QUIET.
Rails are quiet, the shipments FOR the
month having been los, 900 and the sales
$1,000 tons Steel billets are stronger, but
inferior and less known brands of pig are
weak.
In boots and shoes there is much business
but little noise, the shipments being still
81 per cent. behind last year.
In dry goods, oiothiaEs are waiting and
very few orders have been placed for
December. but the prospects are not un-
favorable
Wool is steady, fleece and territorial being
more active.
The trade in cotton goods is impro wing
and print cloths are firm at 3 cents.
The prices of breadstuff have declined,
wheat ~ cents, corn cents, and oats 2H
cents, the receipts continuing large beyond
precedent
COTTON RECEIPTS.
Cotton receipts also exceed those Of last
year. and the price has dropped an eighth.
Coffee is an eighth stronger, and pork
products slightly stronger, tut the general
level of prices has fallen remarkably during
the week and for the month thus far. ExS
ports continue heavy for TIVE weeks at New
York. exceeding last years by 81 per cent.
In value.
Although foreign exchange has risen 1
cent on account of the annual remittances,
money is plenty aud cheap, the treasury
having disbursed So, 100000 more than 10
has taken In besides issuing 81, ,400, 900 new
treasury notes. Excepting at the few places
above noticed the money markets
thrOuphnl1b ha Countr.rv ora xUaI suDnl;ad