The Portland daily press., 1894-03-10
BUSINESS PICKING UP.
That Is the Report from st. Louis and
Chicago,

But in Boston, There Is Little Prospect of
Improvement Until the Tariff Question
Is sett1ed-Railroad Earning This Year
and Last-The Weeks Failures
New York, March 9.-Bradstreet's S
tomorrow will say the comparatively
less favorable report as to the volume of
sales and distribution of general mer-
chandise emphasized last week remains,
with some exceptions, practically un-
changed. The bright, warmer weather
stimulated retail lines at number OF
cities. Eastern shoe manufacturers re-
port slightly improved demand, and at
a number of the larger distributing CEN
tres, jobbers in groceries, dry goods,
hardware, hats, shoes and millinery, re-
port steadily maintained inquiry. Num-
erous orders for small amounts for I'M
mediate wants have continued the rule.
Favorable trade conditions centre at
Chicago and st. Louis, the former re-
porting the best weeks sale of dry goods
for months, bringing the total for the
year thus far into favorable comparison
with that in a like portion OF last year.
Jobbers in hats, millinery and dry
goods at St. Lonis report continued
Improvement with favorable compari-
son thus far during the year with last
year. Milwaukee bankers report in
creased demands for accommodation,
and there are evidences of improvement
in trade. At ST. Paul, spring trade, al
though moderate, is in full swing. Kan
sas City and Omaha make reports which
suggest strong underlying demand.
The seven months report Of the for
eign trade of the country indicates de-
creased purchases of chemicals, hides,
silk and other textiles, leather, iron and
wine accounting for the decrease of %
per cent in value compared with the sew
en- months of 1929. The increased
exports of corn, coal, copper, cotton,
increase in the value of domestic ship
ments of s per cent. The gross earnings
of SO railroads in February show loss of
1915 per cent as compared with February,
1898, that being little greater than JAN
uary when it was 1874 per cent less than
in that month the year before. Southern
and southwestern roads present heav-
ier proportion of losses. The granger
lines are doing better than in January.
Chicago advices says that the loans OF
the national banks there have increased
81, 000, 900, and total deposits $4,000,
900 since December. All the New York
clearing house banks report loans $22, :
900, 600 heavier since December and de-
posits S25, 600, ,OO00 heavier. Bank clear
lngs at cities reporting throughout the
United States aggregate 1896, 600, 600
this week, an increase of about II per
cent comapred with last week, aud a
decrease of 28 per cent compared with
the total in the week year ago, in con-
nection withwhich 1t will be recalled that
bank clearings totals from week to week
a year ago ranged near the maximum.
Bradstreet's reports of the available
wheat stocks in the United States and
Canada afoat for and in Europe and
Australia show net decline last week
of 100000 bushels, Exports of
wheat, -four included, and
both coasts of the United
States and Canada, amount to 1851, 900
bushels this week against 2,972. 600 last
week, and 1884, 900 in the.week year
ago.
Two hundred and thirtythree business
failures were reported throughout the
country within the week against 272 last
week and 221 in the week year ago.
Boston reports little prospect of an in
crease in trade until after the tariff is
settled, although there is more demand
for commercial paper.