The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-03
CONDITION OF TR1DE.
Marked Activity i'm Many Southern Sec
tions-The Cotton Excitement.

Marked Activity in Many Southern Sec
tions-Thc Cotton Excitement.
NEW YORK, Dec. 2.-Bradstreets to-
morrow will say:
The features of the week were the ex-
ceptionably favorable position of the cot
ton mills, North and South; the heavy
advance in the price of print CLOTHS Lie.
TO 41t-l6c. the outlook for further adj
vance TO 41-2c. per yard; increased cur
rency at the South, due to higher prices
for cotton, and the reaction in asking
prices for some grades of pig iron 25c. per
ton in Northern markets, of SOC. per ton
on steel blets. The Pacific storm is so
severe as to interfere with trade tempo
rarily. There has been a clearance OF
cargo of barley for London, and another
with general merchandise. to the west
coast Of South America.
Four of the Augusta Ga, shifting and
drill mills report a large business and
good profits last year, and this year the
outlook is for continued strong demand.
No reasonable advance In the price of cot
ton can now cdrtail prices materially. SO
far as reported to BIadstreet's mill owners
at the South evidently have fair stocks
of low prices of raw material. In reply
10 our inquiry as TO stock OF low-priced
cotton on hand at the Eastern cotton
mills or contracted for by them, oar Bos-
ton correspondent wires that the cotton
goods manufacturers have stocks of cot
ton TO carry them to April 10th, and con-
tracts for enough work from Sc. to 10c.
TO keep them busy until the middle Of
June, 1888. a few mills have contracted
for the entire year ahead. Wool is very
quiet. with prizes barely steady and no
speculative feeling in any direction.
Cotton has reacted somewhat from re-
cent highest quotations, due TO realizing
sales. Opinions South as well as North
have been expressed that short cotton
crop operators may be discounting the
reduced yield too heavily. Some cotton
fabrics, even prints, are less active than
print cloths; woOlens are quiet. Phila-
delphi worsted spinners report business
dull. The advance in ingram carpets Is
maintained.
Throughout the South. as indicated by
advices from Galveston, Birmingham and
New Orleans Augusta. Atlanta, Charles
ton, Richmond and Memphis. all fancy
groceries, fireworks and other Christmas
speciaties are in demand. There Is a
good demand for rice. which is lower.
Mercantile collections are said to be
good generally, except where the cotton
crop is exceptionally short. Baltimore
and St. Louis report fair Killing In orders
from the South, the latter city adding
that spring orders for furniture oak sole
leather and shoes are making trade quite
active.
Mr.. Gould's death results in considera-
BILE stock market activity, but anticipa
lions OF other speculative liquidation or
a successful bear raid have failed Of
realization. The event being expected,
leading interests supported the market,
which shows a firm tone and higher
prices in most instances, particularly
the Gould stocks, in the face Of the en-
gagement Of s1,5OOOOO gold for Europe.
The underlying sentiment Of speculation
IL. however, bearlsh on the prospect that
the Brussels silver conference will lead
to no practical results, while the strength
Of exchange points 10 further gold ex-
ports. Foreign bankers are unanimous
that the absence Of a supply Of bills
against cotton exports renders further
gold shipments inevitable.
Silver is slightly weaker In tone, the
speculative demand created by the de
Rothschild propositions at Brussels hav-
ing disappeared. Banking and financial
opinion is practically unanimous against
the acceptance of the English proposals,
or the continuance of silver purchases
under the law Of 1890 in the absence of
an international agreement with regard
n silver