Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-21
AN EASIER FEELING
Throughout Business and Industrial
Sections of the Country
Trade is Much Belier But Needs Much Brac-
ing to Be Real Good.

NEW tokh, %V-"AeA oNS'A " -
say tomorrow: The disappearance of the
great railway strike, the revival OF regular
freight schedules, the customary movement
of produce.and merchandise by water and
rail- has done much to restore something
like the preceding volume of trade. The
encouraging statement is merely that gen.
eral business is only approaching the usual
midsummer proportions. The return TO
work of the potters at Trenton and wheel
ing, employees at Pullman, tube makers at
McKeesport, Pa, and the further return to
work of the coke operatives in the Con-
nellsville region and coal miners IN the
Western and Southern states. and the re-
turn of nearly all the recently striking rail
road employees, will furnish more industrial
employment within a fortnight than any
previous date since April L.
The larger Eastern business centres re-
port a feeling among jobbers and other
wholesale houses favorable to revival In
trade as soon as the tariff legislation is def
nitely settled. Dealers IN the West, North
west and Southwest, at the larger distrlbut-
ing centres, announce that the country
merchants are running with very small
stocks. and they continue to buy only Tor
actual wants in sight. No general revival
in industrial lines is reported or expected
soon. Shoe factories are running on low
priced goods at less than their full capacity,
which exercises an inflence on leather.
The wooden mills are still running on fall
fabrics, and will delay exhibiting spring
samples until next month. Stocks OF brown
and bleached cottons are accumuiatlpg.
Activity is noticeable only among retailers
and jobbers of cotton goods. The I'M
proved demand for wool within the week is
the result of the lowest prices on clip.
The same reports of dullness, with no
new feature, or no prospect of early i'm
prOvement from Boston, Providence, Phiia-
delphia, Baltimore, Pittsburg and Buffalo.
The exceptions are that Baltimore reports
slight improvement in Southern orders
for light fabrics; Pittsburg, that iron and
steel are selling so cents cheaper for future
delivery than spot; and Buffalo, that the
price Of coal is downward.
The Southern cities which felt the effects
of the railway blockade, report shipments
now making regularly, crop prospects are
generally favorable and the feeling in job
bling circles is one of improvement. Atlanta
advises that fall trade is opening satisfac-
torily, manufacturers are busy; Chatta-
nooga, that the demand is improved
Augusta, that while the demand is more
active, the crop outlook 10 less favorable
The fruit trade at New Orleans is greatly
improved since railroad traffic has resumed,
and there is more demand for building
materials. Galveston jobbers report more
orders in all lines, particularly dry goods
and notions.
Among the Western cities where general
trade remains quiet, without material
change, Except that is due to the resump-
ton of railway traffic. are Cleveland, Mil
waukee, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth.
Cincinnati and Louisville report some gain
in the volume of trade. Kansas City job
bers find orders for fall delivery, fairly
and at Omaha country merchants
are ordering more freely. The total vol
ume of trade at Chicago is relatively light,
groceries being most active; prices on
leather being demoralized and some build
ing projects temporarily abandoned owing
to labor disturbances.
Relatively the most favorable report
comes from St. Louis, where general trade
is said to be much improved. At Portland,
Oregon, general trade has improved, and
there is q marked recovery at San Fran
cisco, although the volume is still below the
normal.
Exports of wheat (hour included) on
both coasts of the United States and Can
ada, aggregate this week only l,S73,OOO
bushels, compared with 5,077 900 in the
third week of July, 1898. The average of
current estimates as to the size of the wheat
yield in the United States should enable us,
if called upon, to export fully as much
wheat in the next IL months as in the past
year.
The effects of the recent widespread dis
turbance in transportation and industrial
circles are now making themselves felt in
bank clearings returns. the aggregate this
week being only s2o,0O0,o 900, a drop as
compared with the preceding week of about
3 per cent, and compared with the third
week of July. 1898, of l6 per cent.
Two hundred and twelve business fail
ures were reported in the United States this
week, against 527in the corresponding week
of year ago, when the effects of the finan-
cal panic were making themselves severely
felt.