The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-21
WEEKLY TRADE REVIEW
Dun AND BRADsTREET's REPORTS
ON THE SITUATION.
Much Gain In Hope and Little In Business.
Domestic Trade Incressing-The
Iron Output.

AOANAAf 49, Asf W. ~ - ~ %~'~
& Co.'S weekly review OF trade to-mor-
row will say: There has been much gain IN
hope and little In business. Assurances
that the repeal bin will soon be passed
have again been accepted by traders as
a reason for buying things speculative at
higher prices, and with money abundant
on call, SS,oOO,OOO having been received in
this city within ten weeks. speculation in
stocks and products has an unusual
stimulus and would have expanded even
more but for continued embarrassment
OF industries. The root of the difficulty
is the decrease in consumption OF all
kinds and in that respect the week has
brough no perceptible change.
shrinkage Ia Cotton,
This shrinkage appears less In cotton
than In some other branches OF manu-
facture, and during the week there has
been a slight Improvement I'm the market
for some goods. But some large mills
which recently resumed have stopped
again, and while the number reported I'm
operation increases, the condition OF tho
market indicates plainly that few are
working at their fun capacity. The re-
duction Of wages has been general. and
does not tend to increase the consump>
ton Of goods.
Decrease In Consumption.
The feature OF most Importance as re-
spects the great Industries IS that opera
tions are restricted. not by want Of money
or difficulties with labor, but by strange
ly large decrease in consumption. The
volume OF domestic trade has been slow
iy increasing for some weeks, as reports
from other cities indicate and In all com
PARSONS, the fact that trade increased
in September and October last year
should be kept in mind.
Caution Prevails
The exchanges at the principal clearing
houses show a decrease OF 25.5 per cent.
for the week. which is less than appeared
some weeks ago, though II may be par
TALLY due to the unusual volume OF pay
ments deferred and now made only In
part. The earnings OF railroads show a
little more decrease than last week. COM
pared with last year, being 81 per cent.
for the month at the South and at the
West about Is per cent But no decrease
appears on the great trunk lines. At
most points banks are somewhat relax
ing their caution, but uncertainty regard
ing monetary legislation everywhere re-
tards confidence, and until domestic con-
sumption Of goods revives enough TO
restore normal activity OF industries,
caution is likely to prevail There Is
no little questioning about the probable
effect Of the compromise reported at
Washington. The failures this week
number 346 in the United States. against
30 last year, and 20 in Canada against
| 25 last year.
Bradstreet's Report.
Bradstreets tomorrow will say:
Still another business week is rendered
| conspicuous owing TO the paralysis I'M
/ posed on commercial and Industrial opera
tions by the revolutionary measure OF tn
minority In the Senate. Larger represep
tative manufacturers, jobbers and othe
wholesalers in leading lines have beel
unable TO operate with reference 10 tn
| future supply or demand. and the re
! suit is that the great iron and steel In
| dustries remain practically on their backs
with no signs Of revival In either de
mand or price. In iron alone there u
| probs)ly not more than one-third the out
| put OF a year ago; wool is being sold al
| concessions from quotations, and mil
| owners are taking raw material for actua
needs only; textile Industries generally
are not finding the better demand ex
| pected at this time; leather industries
| continue much depressed; clothing manu-
| facturers make unfavorable reports OF
| the business thus far this fall, and al
| some Industrial centres. notably Patter
| son, N. j., a home OF silk and cotton tac
| tories and mills the Industrial situation
has advanced steadily from bad to worse
| and the end IS not yet On the other sid'
OF the account may be placed the rela
tive activity I'm whisky and tobacco al
western centres, and In rice and cottof
| and fertilizers at some southern centres
| together with a heavy output OF whea
| -four at northwestern points and larg'
| shipments OF wheat 10 market within 2
week. Prices OF staples show an upward
swing OF the pendulum with reference tc
wheat. corn, oats, pork, coffee, cotton
| rice, phosphate rock and naval stores
| The chief decreases IN prices have beer
for lard. hogs, cattle and wool.
Improvemen In the south.
Atlanta merchants report satisfactory
sales In leading lines and manufacturer
| there have better demand for their pro
/ duct. Charleston reports renewed actly
| ity In fertilizers and rice. The reques
| for tIrpentine and rosln at Savannah II
| more marked and prices tend upward
| General trade is brisker. but while cot
! ton receipts are heavier, the demand II
| slackened somewhat
| Freer sales OF cotton AZ somewhat bet
ter prices and heavier marketings OF ric'
al New Orleans have stimulated gene-a
trade, and the process OF stocking uI
| the interior storekeepers has begun
An Improvement in demand is reported
| from Birmingham and Mobile. Al Mem
phfs and Nashville there Is no change
which is also too true at Chattanooga
where there is decrease in demand 10
hardware and better request for Or.
goods, but Augusta has not improved
Al Houston the dry weather hsS inter
fered with the movement OF the stapi
merchandise. Trade at Galveston !
unchanged, with demand for iund
from the cotton trade.
No Western city among those reported
except Louisville, has experienced
marked Increase In the volume OF trads
most OF them reporting business al
standstnl