The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-09-29
BRlDSTREEI'S REPORT.
Trade Returns Show Business Still
DemOralized.
SOUTH REPORTS MUCH DAMAGE
FROM THE STORM.

shipments Oh Who<At are increasing In
the West But Prices On Staple Lines
Generally Rule Lower-Wool Is Off
And Lumber Dull-London Wool Sales
a DissappointmentiTo Those Who Ex-
pected Large Imports.
New York, September sS.-B -Bradstreet's
will say tomorrow: The feature of general
trade throughout the country is found in
moderate reactions with weakness more par
ticularly in the volumn of purchasers of stap-
les West, where trade is quite active and
at Eastern points. Prices this
week failing to show any upward move-
| ment of note in this line, are "a check to
business. The South is disturbed with the
damage to rice and orange crops.
Baltimre, St.aLouis, Nashville, and Chica-
go sent modified advices as to activity and
bright outlook. Wheat made another
lowest price,. Indian corn and oats both
declined. Sugar and coffee record lower
figures and another lowest price for cotton
had an unfavorable influence on the tone
of business.
Bessemer pig iron sales show a loss Of 25
cents on steelbillets. almost as much as do
the standard brands for forge iron East
and South, and show large depressions.
The trade admits production exceeded
consumption. Conspicuously Irregular
prices are forslumber, it beingsfairly active,
but low at Minneapolis, and sitter at st.
Louis, in contrast with :adyices from Chi
cago
Leather is fairly firm in distribution and
dry goods. shoes, millinery and notions
lead.
BANK CLEARINGS.
Bank clearings of cities throughout the
United States aggregates $S25 ,00O, 900 this
week, a falling off of per cent from the
week before, Eeing per cent more than
this last week Of September of 1898.
AS compared with that week of 1892 the
decrease of the past week amounts to 20
per cent. The corrected comparative totals
furnished by Buffalo show moderate gain
at that point contrasted with year ago.
The detailed clearings show weekly de-
creases from last year and include only
dozen.of seventy cities, chiefly those sup
plying the Northwestern region recently
affected by the drouth. Several New Eng
land and Southern points are affected by
special influences. Exports of wheats (fiour
as wheat from both coasts of United States
and Canada. for this week, have fallen off
some amounting TO 1861, ,0G0 bushels against
1851, 900 last week and 3,4900O0O in the
week of year ago. Two years ago the
total was 4.045.000, three years ago 8, ,4O5, ,O0o
and foursyears ago 1885, 900.
London wool proved disappointing
to those who predicted or anticipated heavy
purchases for American market and a rapid
advance in price. On this side quotations
are l cent lower feeces particularly being
weak. There is a better trade in the terri
tories and Australia.
The distribution of dry goods from East
ern points declined on slackening of the
fall demand. Little confidence can be
placed by buyers in the higher prices for
cottons due to- strikes .among operators
Print cloths are weak. The domestic
woolen manufactures report activity at pres
ent and but little business in sight forssspring
Competition is keen between foreign and
domestic mems wear woolens.
BUSINESS FAILURES.
+ Actual business failures for nine months
(those in which liabilities exceed assets)
number 9,25l, II per centsless than last
year.
The total slailbities of sthose falling
amount to S110.674,O0O, thirdsas much as
the aggregate in 1898. and smaller total
than the corresponding periods of 1891.
1892. 1893. The assets of those falling this
year are S59,7O7, 900, a.quarter of what they
were last year. New .Hampshire, Rhode
Island, Pennsylvanl, Delaware, Wiscon-
sin, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Lou
isiana, California and Washington, report
more failures thus far thissyear than last
year. Rhode Island, Louisiana, and Wash
ington. strange ito ssay, furnish liabilities
inssexcess of the totals of asyear ago. These
are small, or Of little significance, but the
other states mentioned furnish heavily de-
creased totals of liabilities, notwithstand-
ing the gains il. the number of failures
Railroad Lstocks shold frmersin 1.-THE. New
York share market in spite of the absence
of outside or foreign buying and the bear
ishness of professional spectators The
latter derive encouragement from the de-
clining tendency of sugar stocks, which
worked to a lower level on unfavorable
conditions in the sugar trade and the be-
lief that insiders favor lower prices, Other
industrial stocks, including Chicago gas
and cordage are weak. 1t is reported the
condition of the distilling company is
no less than the price sof stock, and indi-
Gates possibility of reorganization. The
Reading reorganization plan is,opposed by
Lcndon financial interests. Uncertainty.
about this company .Atchison and Northern
Pacific hurt American securities abroad,
Bonds are dull and in sympathy with the
depressed tone in railroad stocks. Silver is
steady and slightly lower and foreign ex-
change is dull and strong on the small
supply of bills.
GENERAL TRADE.
General trade is quiet at Boston in all
lines and Baltimore jobbers are advised by
travelling statesmen of a fair business
Philadelphia manufacturers of cotton and
woolen dress goods are well employed and
orders for dry goods and groceries have
sallen off. AT Pittsburg the volume of bust
ness is fair andsprices tend lower. There
are less requests for steel Several Western
centers report favorable features in general
trade. notably Detroit, where Ejobbing is
more active and collections improved, and
Louisville, where there is decided gain
redistribution, not only as compared with
September of last year, but in some in
stances.compared with September of 1892.
1t is of significance that Milwaukee and
Duluth bankers report a better. feeling in
0r.d d.