Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-09-16
THE WEEKS TRADE.
RETURNS FROM ALL QUARTERS
SHOW A DECIDED IMPROVEMENT
Business Pulling Itself Together in Spite
of Poor Crop Prospects-Dun ana
Bradstreet Reports.
(Bv telerraph 10 the Dispatch. J

r. G. Dun & Company's weekly review
of trade tomorrow will say: Returns
from every part OF the country show de-
cided Improvement. a hopeful feeling
prevails, and money grows abundant at
speculative centres and somewhat easier
for commercial purposes. The number of
establishments reported as resuming
work-31 wholly and 26 in part-still exceeds
the number closing. 90 for the past week,
besides ten reducing force. so that the
hands employed have somewhat increased.
The number unemployed is still very
large, the great Industries are still far be-
low their normal productlveness, and part
of the resumption OF work has been secured
by lowering prices and reducing wages
But business Is pulling itself together.
and even the crop report has caused
little depression in stocks.
The Industrial Improvement Is largely In
cotton, and otherwise appears scarcely
more satisfactory than last week. About
two-thlrds Of the Fall River mills are
operating, but at a reduction OF ten TO
thirteen per cent in wages. and there has
been a sharp cut in the prices OF leading
cotton goods. Several shoe factories nave
started in part. but orders are not enough
TO keep half the force busy, though I'M
provement IS noticed. In all, IS metal
works have started in part and six who'll
ly The output OF pig iron Sept lst proves
to have been S2,602 tons weekly, a de-
crease Of 9S9i9 since May lst, indicating
that only a. per cent of the productive
force was employed. Sales Of grey forge
for 81 at Birmingham and OF steel blI-
lets for $3.50 at Pittsburg support the
statement that resumption OF work III
many cases is at the expense or great
sacrifice in price. But In this industry
business revives more vigorously at the
West than at the East.
An obvious effect of the smaller crops
is that railroad earnings may shrink
with smaller demand the coming year ior
iron products and for stocks.
The restriction Of trade is shown In the
clearing house returns at principal cit
les. which show a decline of 34 compared
with last year, but 1t Is too soon for the
Improvement Just commenced to affect pay
ments. The expectation of large foreign
Investments is not yet realized, ana eA-
changes have declined towarl the goid
exporting point. as future exports OF pro-
ducts are liable to be restricted by the
shortness Of crops and the advance III
prices here.
The exports last week were large, ana
for two weeks have been 80 per Gent
more tndn IdSI ythi, hi4llC a 49,
81. 500 900 appears in the imports for Two
weeks. II is due to the fact that the
values of coffee and sugar from Brazil
were stated last year in paper worth
about forty cents on the dollar.
The liabilities of firms falling nave
greatly diminished. The failures reported
This week have been, in the United States.
8lI against 32l for the previous week ana
I5t last year. and In Canada, z, against
2S last year.
THE SENATE'S INDIFFERENCE
Rradstreets tomorrow will say: The
starting up Of idle manufactures mas not
been as conspicuous this week as last.
The stimulated demand for staples at
prominent cities on the Ohio ana Mlssis-
sippi remains the feature or the puS-
ness week In other respects there mas
been no real gain within the Week, alu
the long-drawn-out indifference ol '''e
senate TO the wishes Of an enormous
ma iority of the business community mas
bad a decreasing effect on the CONNER
c,aI situation. In addition to last week
favorable features of the money marker
are increased deposits, heavy iniluX OF
CURRENCY from the agricultural regions,
and reported extensions of discount Dy q
few banks, but there has been no turther
increase in the volume OF general traue
throughout the country. the increase III
the volume OF bank clearings withn a
week being more than accounted Tor IN
other WAYS. -
At the South, the relatively more faVor-
able repOrts came from Atlanta, Angus
IA. and New orleans; and west, from
Cincinnati Louisville, st. Louis, Omaha
and Duluth. Such centres as Ne" ioih'
Chicago. Baltimore, and Philadelphia
are 10 feel general expansion Of demand
Tor staples. Neither the wooden. cotton
iron nor steel industry, North or East
is Increasing its output. he prices Oh
almost all cereal and meat food products'
coffee and sugar, as well as common lufh-
her have advanced, while the quotations.
for steel bilets, tobacco, turpentine' hoss'
and cattle have gone or.
Two weeks ago the number or failures
was 2G9: last week 1t was SI9, ana thls
week II Is only 3OO
Wool sales are heavy. but at the lowest
prices. and the mills show signs OF start
ING nm. Shirtings are lower. There Is
better sale for fall and winter dress goous
Ginghams. however, are fiat.
Trade at Baltimore remains quiet, an
Increase In the number Of out-of-toWn
buyers not resulting in gains In the vol
ume of trade Richmond reports slight
gain in the volume Of general trade put
Industrial assumptions are on part time
and the bankers are not making loans
freely. Charleston reports crops dam-
aged throughout South Carolina 15a0
per cent, with higher prices for food sta
piles. but no increase in the volume OF
business.
Memphis banks are lending more freely,
but without appreciable change in trade
conditions. and trading remains restrict
ed at Nashville. although the outlook Is
for Improvement, the First National Bank
having resumed business on the 18th In
slant
Cotton receipts at Atlanta are salts"
factory. and jobbers OF groceries are sell
ing freely. At Augusta cotton receipts
are increasing. which helps trade. and
cotton mill products are in better demand.
but at Savannah the cotton movement
Is restricted. Nslness at birmingham re-
mains quiet
At New Orleans trade has improved
moderately. While the rice crop Will
be short in Louisiana, the yield OF sugar
will be heavy. Cotton receipts are slow.
At Cincinnati n marked gain Is report
ed In both Industrial and commercial
lines. At Louisville trade is improving.
Shoes, leather and iron iare reported