Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-06

stocks are very light. AZ Charleston COM
merciai travellers have been going out ON
the road. There N more activity in to-
bacco at Louisville. and Kentucky jeans
factories are running with full forces and
fair prospects. Atlanta manufacturers
are rcsuming work The demand for fac
tory products at Augusta remains quiet
at Savannah. Mobile and New Orleans
report the holding OF cotton for higher
prices, Notwithstanding heavy receipts.
Messrs. II. q. Dun q Co, in their week
~ review OF trade tomorrow. will say:
The cloud OF uncertainty does not lift as
yet Confidence r. expressed In nearly all
markets that trade must improve with
the new year. but II Is yet too early. 10
expect important change. II IL is really
on the way. In the meantime the cond-
tons continue unaltercd. But the pro-
posal az an income tax IL not calculated
TO inspire confidence. nor does IL encour-
axe hope that the uncertainty about the
revenue laws viii be speedily ltermi-
mated.
Money from the interior stu floods this
market, commercial inactivity still causes
the amount Of idle funds to swell beyond
all precedent and rates are so low that
speculation might be dangerously stimu-
tied 90 a feeling Of hopefulnnsg prevailed
IL Is questionable whether the working
force in the great Industries has increased
as yet. though about the first OF the year
considerable increase is expected The
number OF mills starting and stopping
work is about the same. The sales OF
wool for the week amounted 20 2i9i, 500
pounds against 4.i53. 800 for the cores
ponding week last year. and since May
lst the decrease has been fs.6 per cent.
Prices are somewhat weaker. and few
works report satisfactory orders. The
prices OF cotton goods are further reduced
TO encourage purchases. Most of the shoe
shops are moderately employed. and the
decrease IN shipments for the week Is IL
per cent, against - per cent. for the
last seven months Of 1893. Still lower
Al fras... n.sl t.afh
al Philadelphia and Pttsburg. without
increase In the volume OF business. II Is
believed that the output OF pig, though
20 per cent less than year ago, exceeds
the present consumption. The volume OF
business represented by exchanges out
side OF New York Is 1872 per cent less
than for the same week last year;
The results Of an inquiry regarding the
OF business during the last half OF 1888
are remarkable. Actual sales have been
reported by I'M houses or companies
aggrcgating sob 400 G25 this year. against
80. te5 iG in the same months last year
a decrease OF 1911 per cent In textlle
manufactures the decrease Is II per cent.
over a per cent. In all wOollens, 43 per
cent in silk. 81 per cent. IN cotton manu-
features 2g2 per cent. In hosiery. ana
256 in mixed textiles. In dry goods the
sales decreased only 1872 per cent, the
stocks previously held having been much
reduced and the reported decrease IN
and in hardware only lS5 per cent In
boot and shoe manufactures the decrease
ia 1875 per cent, but in the retali tIaue
o-lv ne per cent. The decrease in furs
nitiire is ~ per cent. in iewelry 2dSS
Der cent. and in sales Of hats only 1870
per cent. ..,.o,,,.o,,,,,,
tact that the sales Of groceries are slight
~ larger than last year. though niue
less al the East and West th1 but m erg mosf
Irarcbes the dcCfease appears smaller
at The West than at tn Eat wss ana s S one of
% '' c,rious results Of this novel investi-
cation. "a .,,,,,, ~ forures
for 1893 are not yet complete Dut me re re-
norts received for the latter part OF De
rember have swelled the .aggTeE,atte VI
commercial liabilities 10 1898, 's5'4nl, OF
when 75i5.9S5 are Of manufacturing
failures. 27l6.960 OF trading iailure''
ard III 220.5is of other concerns. 10,
For the past week the failures repoIteu
have been 5ll I'm the United states asaiimstt
SJ last year. and Al in Canada against
a. lost wear