St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-12

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New YORK, May 11.-Bradstreet's re-
view of the state of trade tomor row will
say: Prolonged warm weather has stl m
ulated farm work as we'll as sales III
seasonable lines of merchandise, b ut
renewed tariff uncertainty tends to pro-
long the period during which merchant S
will continue to buy for actual needs
only. evidences of which fact have ap-
peared. Bank clearings this week
amount to S903. 900, 900, a decrease of SD
per cent from tie week before (Which
showed an %increase). and a decrease of
81 per cent compared with the second
week of May last year. when the
total clearings were among the largest
on record. The great coal miners strike
has been extended in the far West and
in portions of Maryland and the Vir-
ginias, and this has been followed by
an Increase In the number of Industrial
shut-downs. due to increasing scarcity
of fuel. Not far from u.s. 900 men are
reported idle In the coal trade alone,
and with those idle or OH strike in other
lines, the total out Of work is not less
than 225, 900. Destruction of property
has been a feature of the coal strikein
Pennsylvania and Alabama. The Penn
sylvania and the Baltimore & Ohio
railroads are reported confiscating coal
in transit. 1t is suggested to ship
.Duluth's excess stocks of coal to Chica-
go to relieve the coal famine. Scarcity
of Bessemer pig has causeda sharp adj
UqD1n ND hitlofa % xuolI IL a ra- Fhirho rs
but increased demand is based on pros
pective scarcity due to lack of fuel.
Western producers report firmness of
soft steel, and mills supplied with or
ders
o. SEVERAL MONTHS.
Shapes and plates are frmer. but, in
the face of this, foundry irons i'll in
stances are weaker in price. A potent
influence %favoring higher quotations for
pig iron. based on the coal and coke
strike, is the reduction in tho output,
within six weeks. Of about a third, and
a prospect for an extension of re-
stricted production. A significant evil
dence of the condition Of general trade
is found in the report Of gross railway
earnings during April, which shows a
heavier decrease from the total in the
like month last year than any preceding
months since Jan. l, 1913 per cent. In
creased railway earnings last month,
compared with April, 1890, are few and
trihing. Total gross earnings for April
this year by 118 companies, are
$50, 600, 900. against s34. 00o, GOO last
year,. For four months of 1894 gross
earnings amount to 1923. 600. 600. a de-
crease from the corresponding period
last year of 1874 per cent. Pacific rail-
roads show heaviest decreases, and
trunk lines the smallest. Even an
unexpectedly bullish crop report by the
agricultural department failed to slim
ulate wheat prices. in the face of ex-
cessive Arge ntine and Russian ship
ments, excessive supplies in and afoat
for Europe, and heavy stocks In the
coasts. United States and Canada, this
week, continue in fair volume, 2,815,-
1852 bushels, compared with 2,773,O CO
bushels last year, 2.712,0O0 bushels in
the second week of May last year.
3.621, 900 bushels in the like week O
1892. and 1,041,0 900 bushels in 1891.
Philadelphia reports prospects In
textile manufacturing lines are un
favorable, and prices unsatisfactory.
Buyers in Baltimore take for needs
only, although merchants are discount
iu5 May bills.
BETTER THAN EXPECTED.
In Eastern markets demand for wool
is quiet and sales small, but broken
stocks tend to steady quotations. Cen
eral trade remains dull, as dOes busl-
ness in manufacturing lines at Buffalo,
Cleveland, Detroit. Cincinnati, Louis
Vile. Mil waukee, Minneapolis and
Omaha. except that at the last named
more activity is reported in dry goods
and hardware. Favorable crop pros
poets and activity in agricultural lines
have checked trading by country mer.
chants. At Chicago also there are
decreased volumes Of sales with jobbers
Ill dry goods, millinery and clothing. :
while the natural result due to spring
trade being completed and autu nil
trading not having made itself felt, IS
felt at st. Louis. At Kansas City trade
in staple lines is fairly good and crop
prospects are excellent, but at st. Paul
the volume or business is small, COM
pared with previous years. There is an
improvement in jobbers' sales of gro
ceries and among builders at Duluth.
where the ore miners trouble is ended:
yet lake navigation continues duff.
Wheat prospects in eastern San JOAQUIN
valley. California, are less favorable
tran last week. Only two ships for
wheat loading are available at San
Francisco.
Charleston. Atlanta, Chattanooga,