The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-11
ROANOKE, VA, DECEMBER IL, 1899
THE STATE oFnTKADE.


The features of tho week in the b"si.
ness world, according to Bradstreet's
reports, incls;de moderate reduction
in dist: button of staples. as is custom
airy at this season, an unusual activity
in holiday goods, relatively greater
strength of pig iron West than East,
news OF the financial recuperation of
Southern merchants this year, unpre-
cedentod movement West of Eastern
manufactured products, heavy bank
clearings, fewer failures and easy
money, in spite OF the unsettled silver
problem, possible gold EXPORTS and talk
OF nervousness in the stock market.
The share market has been irregular,
advancing on the absence of bearish
manifestations following Mr.. Gould's
decease, then showing a tendency to
decline on the prospect OF gold ship
ments and the sharp break in silver.
AT the close of the week a recovery of
prices occurred, due to the postpone
ment of gold exports till next week and
the covering of short interests which it
oeSasioned. Silver has been very weak
or the,prospective failure OF results at
Brussels, though the decline is checked
by commercial buying and covering of
shorts.
There are eG5 business failures in the
Uaite6States reported during six bust
ness ,GGys ended December 8, as COM
pared with -26Ss the week before, $50 in
the sec ond week of December. 1891, and
34i in the like week of 1890. pointing to
generally sounder commercial condi-
tioas now than at like periods one and
two years ago. Bank 'clearings through
out the country this week aggregate
$l.45I 1000 600, an increase of nearly 5
per cent. as compared with last week.
and of fe percent. compared with the
like week one year ago.
Atfourteen Southern cities interviews
with loading i.obbers show that. with
minor eaceptionsi nercantil collections
are uniformly better than they were last
year at like date, and debts of country
dealers to merchants at distributing
centers Gre smaller and fewer in mum
Der. W2ere figures are given they point
to decreases of from 10 to % per cent.
Baltimore reports disposition at the
South to5uy small quantities frequently,
or as wanted, and greater care as to local
credits ct the bottom of the improve.
ment.
Eastern eenters present few changes.
At Boston boot and shoe factories are
busy on spring orders; leather is active,
and there has been more buying of wool
at steady prices. Philadelphia textile
manufacturers are buying wool for near
by wants only, but tobacco dealers
there say that staple is Sctive. AT that
city, too, as at Pittsburg. dig iron is not
SO firm as it has been, with loss pros.
pect for an advance in the near future.
More iron has been turned out at the
Pittsburg mills within four months than
last year, but with about the same net
result
The west-bound business OF tho
eastern trunk lines IS generally very
heavy at this season, out is now above
the average. This Ia due, say general
freight agents at Chicago, to free ship.
ments of general merchandise from the
east for distribution all over the west as
far as Denver. All business centers
west are getting good percentage OF
1t, but there is more going to Chicago
than to any other point.