The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-03
BUSINESS STILL BACKWARD.
The Strike Settlement About the Only
Favorable Development.

The Price of Cotton and Fabrics Ex-
pected to Be More Settled as Result.
The Approaching Election One of the
Causes of the Dizziness in the Mar
kets Closer Scrutiny of Credits
Caused by the Low Prices of Farm
Products.
New York Nov. 2.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say: General trade con-
tinues on conservative lines, there being
little far-reaching improvement in busl-
ness circles as compared with a week
ago. aside from the settlement of the
strike at Fall River, one of the effects Of
which is expected to be the steadying
of the prices Of cotton fabrics and an in
ducement to cloth printers toward future
delivery. Cotton has gone off 1-16c. This
results in reduction in the number of
orders sent from interior points to the
southern centers, a closer scrutiny of
credits throughout the south and restric-
ton in the volume Of trade there.
alone among southern cities, Chatta-
nooga reports a relative improvement,
and that sales and collections for Octo-
Der have been better than expected. There
is no change in the situation at Charles
ton, where the low price of cotton con-
tinues TO have an effect, or at Atlanta, or
at jacksonville, where travel is heavy
and the prospect encouraging; or at Biz
mngham, Ala, which continues to re-
port dull business. The outlook at Mem
phis is less favorable. and the same Is
true of Nashville, where the payments
from the cotton districts are falling of
A decrease in the volume of trade and
slower collections are reported from Au-
gusta, and fewer goods are moving at
Savannah. The volume of orders is
smaller than expected at New Orleans,
and at Galveston trade is quite dull, al
though collections are fairly prompt"
r. G.. Dun & Co. s weekly review of
trade, which Is issued tomorrow, will
say: THE last week of October, with an
exciting election near, cannot indicate
much of the true condition Of business.
In some trades the season is too far adj
vanced for great activity, and in others
the supposed effects of the voting hinder
operations. But 1t is satisfactory that
the volume of production is well main
tanned. and in one or two branches in
creased, that no monetary difficulties
disturb and that breadstuffs are little
higher, and that no material decline APP
pears during the week in manufactured
products. At present the volume of bust
ness is on the whole smaller than last
year, and much smaller than in 1882,
though a presidential election was then
close at hand. The depression of cotton
and wheat and the partial loss of the
corn crop must be reckoned important
causes of hesitancy in retail distribu-
ton of products.
I'm the iron industry the chief activity
is in structural work bridges and other
plates, while the demand for sheets is
somewhat diminished. Bar and wire
show no Improvement and nails are
weaker The average of quotations for
the various kinds of iron and steel is
3 per cent. lower than in July, 65 per cent.
lower than at the lowest point in April,
and 20 per cent lower than in July. A
conference of steel-makers resulted in 10
change of policy, though purchases of
English rails by Mr.. Huntington for Pa
cihc delivery and by Canadian roads,
Indicate that American makers are losing
part Of their natural market.
Waiting for retail trade depresses tex |
tile manufactures, and concessions in
prices have been made to effect large
contracts. Otherwise the market is gen
orally dull, without indications of inn
provement. Print cloths are selling at
2.75 cents for 6fs The only announced
reduction is a quarter of cent in Law
renee LII. SneetlnES 10 1 cents.
In woolens the fall and winter demand
is disappointing, though still fairly large
for the season. but the expected supple
mental orders do not appear and great
uncertainty prevails as to spring goods.
No changes of price are noted. Manu-
facturers are not disposed to produce in
advance of the change, Jan. /, and so are
buying only for current needs, and at
the west it is complained that wool goods
begin at prices below the parity of sim
liar wool abroad on the secured basis.
The government has sustained a heavy
deficit for the month of October, and Gus
toms receipts are dsappointingly light
Otherwise the money market reflect only
a remarkable absence of commercial de-
mand, though the possible reduction of in
teIest on deposits may lead to some with
drawal of country funds
THE exports for the past four weeks
were 10 per cent. less than last year,
while the imports were 9 per cent. grea ter.
1.-THE failures continue small and for
the four weeks ending Oct. % the liabili-
ties were IS, 206, S92, of which $3,l49 ass were
of manufacturing and S4991, 434 of trad
ing concerns. Southern failures are COM
paratively small and the eastern and
western about equal During the past
week the failures have been 249 in the
Uuited States, against S5S last year. and
fifty in Canada, against twenty-eight last
year"