Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-04-12
BUSINESS IMPROVING.

A Gratifying Revival of Business Through
out the Country With q Decrease In
Failures Shown by II. q. Dun 81 Cos.
Weekly Review-The Improvement Not
of Large Propoportions, But of a
Healthy Character-A Slight Rise In
Wheat Owing to Injury to the Growing
Plant by Frost.
New YORK, April 7.-R. G. Dun &
Co. s weekly review of trade, issued to-
day, says:
Improvement in business has continued
since the presidents veto, which has been
sustained in the house. But the best news of
the week is the great decrease in the number
and Importance of failures, of which full re-
turns are given for the first time in months by
the quarterly statement as follows: The number
was 2,U99 IN January, Z, 202 in February, and -
COS in March. The commercial liabili-
ties were S3l. 32os67 in January. s17. $50 4l9
in February. and S14. 500 in March. Nearly
half the commercial liabilities were OF firms
failing during the first month and much more
than half of the trading liabilities-54 per
cent, as the full statement shows, az per cent
of the manufacturing liabilities and 40 per
cent. of other commercial liabilities. More
over, nearly two-tEirdS of the banking liablli-
tics was of failures in the first month and
ever one-half of the railroad liabilities.
Tough the number of commercial failures
4,297 in the United States-was never equalled
in any quarter until the third of last year the
average of liabilities is only 814 800, which is
lower than has appeared in the records of
thirty-eight years at any time closely preceding
any serious reverse. The degree of CONNER
cial soundness and health thereby indicated
gives ground for hope that the liquidations
consequent upon the disaster of 1893 have been
In large measure accomplished. The signs
OF continued Improvement are more distinct
than in the previous week, and are found else
where than in speculative markets.
There is more buying for consumption, with
more numerous demands for immediate re.
placement of stocks, which does not yet stimu-
late an advance in prices, because consump-
ton as yet by no means Sufflces to employ all
the productive capacity but affords the safest
basis for production There is some further
Increase in the working force employed in
WOODEN manufacture and shoe factories.
though not this week in the cotton mills. and
the gain in iron work is small, although
the strike OF Connellsville coke workers
may not interrupt the manufacture for
some weeks, as supplies on hand are said to
be large. Prices in that industry are little
changed. though at the west bar iron is irreg-
ular because wages of puddlers in the valley
have been reduced, and southern pig is quoted
lower because OF reduced freight rates. Some
good contracts for rails noticed at Chi
cago, and orders for finished products disclose
ShOrtneSS OF stock in all sections.
CottonS are steady, with more strength in
print cloth and kindred fabrics. The demand
for shoes is little better, but shipments from
Boston are still Is per cent. less than q year
ago, the cases also averaging of lower classed
goods. The wooden mills at work gener-
ally pushed by urgent orders from belated
clothlers for spring goods, and about dozen
more mills have started In dress goods the
March business was nearly of normal proper
tlons, but in these and other woolens the de-
mand for fall goods is still far below the usual
mark. Sales of wool at the three chief mar
kets for the last two weeks have been g. 130. 500
pounds against 1888, 900, with some concessions
to buyers, though stocks of the kinds most in
demand are running low
There is no change OF Importance in the
manufacturing demand for minor metals
Prices of Irvine and rope have been reduced to
the lowest ever known, 6 cents for MANILA and
4 cents for sisal cordage
Wheat has been lifted about cents by re-
ports of serious injury to the plant, but the
accounts are more than usually conflicting,
and there is much uncertainty about the ex.
tent of the injury Western receipts were
1711,1F bushels for the week, against Bios GIL
last year, but exports from Atlantic ports were
but 759, AS bushels against 1,042265 last year.
Corn has declined u cents, with western re-
ceipts of 1896 $50 bushels. Pork illustrates
the contrariness of the hog by rising SO cents,
with lard shade higher.
The cotton market approaches stagnatfon
with spot steady at ~ cents but receipts for
the week exceed last years. and still indicate
a crop much above 100000 bales.
Symptoms OF change in money markets ap-
pear to Indicate an increasing volume of trade.
In Wall street there appears a somewhat
larger supply of commercial paper from the in
terror. not OF the first quality of large
amounts. but enough to suggest that available
funds in other markets have at last found
more full employment. But the accumulation
of idle money here does not yet diminish.
Foreign exchange has suddenly advanced tc
the point at which gold could be exported with
out loss, owing to cessation of foreign pur
chases of stocks. but no gold is known to have
been ordered for shipment. The export OF
products from New York continues fairly
large, but do not greatly exceed last years.
while the imports for the week were 43 per
cent less than year ago. Customs receipts
still Al per cent. less than last year for the
month thus far, and internal receipts per
cent less.
There has been a furry in the silver mar
ket. New York spectators having made game
of the London market and the smelters also.
but nothing appears to warrant substantial
advance.
The usual quarterly payments, which vary
with the condition of business less than settle
ments current accounts swelled exchanges
compared with last year at all points 1873
per cent. at New York 21.2 per cent, and out
side this city 1877 per cent. Whether this is the
beginning of lasting improvement it is too early
to determine But there is no decided gain in
railroad earnings. which decreased IA pei
cent. for the first week in April, against IL pei
cent in March.
The failures during the week number PAS
In the United States, against f95 last year;
and 20 in Canada against % last year.
SHOT HIS SWEETHEART