Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-29
A SEASON OF STOCK TAKING.
MERCHANTS ARE NOW Busy AR
RANGING FOR a NEW YEAR.
Jobbcrs Claim th. outlook for Trade
puring the Fate Winter and EARLY
spring Is for Very Conservative
Dpsips--DrodKtrest's and Dun.



New York. Dec. as.---Bradstrevt's will
ray.
Holiday trade presents the usual
characteristics. A majority OF whole
sale dealers and manufacturers arc be-
ginning, or have finished taking, ac-
count Of stock or arranging settle
ments for the now year. Much ac-
tivity has been shown FOR Christmas
goods in retail trades. The practical
conclusion OF holiday trade brought
about a moderate reaction, and this
emphasizes the dulness noted in pre-
ceding weeks.
Jobbers claim the outlook for trade
during the late winter and early spring
is for very conservative buying. But
in some lines, notably heavy textiles,
the recent cold weather has stimglated
sales, and reports from retailers west
and south indicate thar stocks are
low almost beyond precedent. Travel
ing statesmen with few exceptions are
off on tina road. Boston reports 49,
100000 pounds OF wool in that city,
compared with stock OF 100000
one year ago. tho decrease being ex-
olusively IN domestic varieties. Indus
tries are shut down In many Instances
to make repairs or take stock. and
owing to extremely low prices for In
duatrial staples the wage movement
tends downward. Quotations for sta
pie merchandise show more hrmneas
with sugar, cotton. wheat. corn, steel,
naval stores. tobacco. tin and copper
practically unchanged In pricp. oats
among cereals records a fractional adj
vance while print cloths and other
staple cottons are lower In conformity
with results OF recent actions and
pork and lard with Increasing sup
plies OF lower grades OF 1.-Two stock at
Western markets.
Coffee too is depressed and there
are rumors OF contracts for iron and
steel at n shade under lnat weeks
quotations, although unoontirmed, Re-
duoed ntocks OF American available
supplies of wheat Notwithstanding re-
ports In the visible statement OF a
net Increase. tend 10 Atrengthon wheat,
but the surprisingly large total OF the
cereals (fiuur included as wheaD, sent
abroad last week Ia fully Offset by
the 8hrlnkaRn IN such expectations this
wcek, that tho total OF both COASTS OF
the United States being l.6i4.0OO bush
els, compared with g.s6i 900 buHhels In
htAN RANNANhN Mfthf AfNNNfVNN HhFAtAh III
tho week q year ago, 2,1I0,0 900 two years
ago, 9l06.000 bushels three years ago,
and oontrBsted with 800 COO bushels for
the last week in the calendar year OF
1890
Mercantile failures IN the United
States for tho onlendar year Deoem-
Der p 1898 to December 20, isDl) ag-
gregate 1871 or IS per cent less than
In the ear 1928. whpn tho total, 10 900
was 81 per cent heavier than In 1891
Liabilities OF falling traders this year
aggregate sli9b00,000, a reduction OF
% per cent from 1S09 and assets OF
fe.60O,0Oo. n falling or of so per cent.
special returns to Brndstreets show
a net decrease Within the year OF about
1000 individual Arms and corporations
established Ia cuisines throughout the
country, but owing to decrease In mum
Der OF failures, the commercial death
rate Ia about l.e In every 100 engaged
in buslnega In the four yenrA precod-
ing 1893. 1t II also shown that ~
banks are reported suspended this
year. compared with sos tho ycar be-
fore. showing liabilities OF sac. 4s2, 900,
Ms contrasted with $4,000, 600 the year
before. Toronto jobbcrs say trade
is very quiet and travellers from that
city are not hurrylng their dcparture