The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-15
A DULL PERIOD IN TRADE.
Stock Taking and The Holiday Season
Cutting a Figure.

Cullllg a Figure.
Christmas Novelties, Notions and
Fancy Groceries Show the Only Ac-
tivity in the Movement OF Merehan-
dize-Al the Larger Eastern and
Western Centers Report Trade Quiet
and the Same State Of Affairs Exists
in the South.
New York. Dec. 14-Bradstreets to-mor-
row will say: There is the expected
slackening in wholesale and jobbing lines
customary Immediately PRECEDING the
| Christmas holidays. At some points stock
taking has begun and at others will soon
begin With few exceptions. sales of
Christmas specialties. notions and fancy
groceries by Jobbers and at retail show the
only activity in the movement of merchan-
disc, and no improvement is expected till
the new year.
''All the larger eastern centers, except
Pittsburg and Buffalo, report trade quiet
or dull.
Eastern WOODEN manufacturers have
discounted the expected effects of the
changes in the wool tariff on Jan. /.
philadelphia shoe dealers report trade
Unexpectedly active.
Throughout the northwest the volume
of business has with occasional exceptions,
been smaller than usual, due to unseasona-
BILE weather. The cities throughout the
central west and further west report a
moderate volume of trade, with no pros
pect of improvement this month.
General trade south is very quiet ex-
cept for Christmas specialties. Mercantile
collections at the central southern cities
are better than had been expected. In
staple lines the distribution of fancy gro
-ceries, dry goods. and of clothing, leads.
The feature at New Orleans. is the revival
of exports of bulk grain.
ION the Pacific coast general business is
rather better than previously.
X. q Dun & Co.'S weekly review of
trade will say tomorrow: Con
Trajectory changes in business are
quite in order at this season.
Neither the large orders in some
branches, nor the depression of prices in
others, afford a safe indication of the gen.
eral movement. But the working force
does not lessen more than usual for the
time of year, the demand for goods does
not seem to diminish. though in most de-
partments il is considerably below the ca
pacity of the works in operation, and the
volume of business transacted is a little
larger in comparison with last year than
in November
The detailed reports regarding the
chief Industries are not altogether en-
couraging. The iron output increased
during the month of November, and was
l6S,162 tons weekly Dec. l, against G. 666
Nov. !, but the increase in stocks unsold
was 80. l49 tons, which averages Il, ZOO tons
per week, indicating that the increase
in production during the month of Novem-
Der was not supported by the demand for
products. Accordingly prices have been
declining, the general average of articles
quoted being only $40 of the average in
October, 1890. against 557 on the first of
December. The Pittsburg market shows
most weakness, Bessemer pig being quoted
at lois, and gray forge offered at $50 and
bar iron selling a. 80 cents; but in struc-
tural forms the eastern demand is suf-
nclently large TO cause a slight advance in
beams.
Cotton goods are demoralized by some
reduction and by the announcement of a
great auction sale of q, 900 pieces by Bliss
Fabian & Co., and the irregularity in
various staples, increased, although print
cloths are steady.
Money comes to New York in large
amounts. making the transfers by the
treasury to New Orleans look a little fan
c1ful, and no increase appears in the de-
mand of the commercial loans except in
transactions on account of the sugar
trust in order to carry out certain pur-
chases of property in Brooklyn. Hardly
ever has there been as little call for
strictly commercial uses as at this time
| The exports of gold for the week will
amount to $3500,000, and there has been
considerable selling of American securi-
ties on London account, and as long as
this continues, outgoes of gold must be
expected.
THE failures for the past week are 349
in the United States against 1888 last year,
and 40 in Canada against 40 last year"