Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-08-18
BRAOSTREET'S REPORT.
The Democrats Have Not improved
Business to Any Extent.
Soms Sections Say II Is Better and Some Say
II Is Worse.

New YORK, Aug. 7.-Bradstreet's, to-
morrow, will say: Special telegrapbic and
mail advices summarizing interviews with
more than 800 leadiDg wholesale dealers
and manufacturers at AZ cities throughout
the country as to fhe present objects, IL any !,
of the prospective tariff settlement and out
look as to the effect of the Senate tariff bill,
should it become law, Indicate, relatively,
less enthusiasm at larger Eastern centers,
except New York and Baltimore, and
most uniform satisfaction throughout the
Southern states, and similar adyices from
Central and Northwestern states, except
where serious crop damage has taken
place. f'
In the far West little interest is mani
tested In tariff legislation, notably in Den
yer and Helena, where silver attracts more
attention. Portland fears reduction Of
the tariff on lumber. and at San Francisco
an Improvement in demand is expected with
considerable freight offering for shipment
to China.
A feature is found in the declarations
from manufacturers of wooden goods, glass
ware, pottery. iron and steel at the various
centres of production, that wages will
probably reduced.
market this fall, and clothing dealers, it is
declared, should do fair business, but not
try to carry over light-weights to January
/. Cotton merchants declare that the set
Element Of the tariff comes too late to help
them this fall and lumber dealers speak
regretfuliy of the reduction Of duty in their
line.
The opinion seems to favor probability
-, rs t,Ax,
IN general lines, due to the necessity for
supplying depleted stocks. But many ex-
pect a reaction after such improvement,
due to conservative influences born Of the
experience OF last year. No serious re-
auctions In prices in any lire appear prob
able, the effects of the probable tariff
changes apparently having been discounted.
Within the week prices of sugar, alcohol.
pork. lard, cotton and rice have advanced
and leather il stronger, but the probable
quotations for iron and steel are, or recent
ly have been, on bed rock. Wool, nom
inaly unchanged, could be purchased at
concessions which would have been refused
week ago. Leading cereals, after the it,
fation OF last week, are fractionally lower,
and Western cattle and hogs are down as
well.
Aside from the probable improvement
due to the ending of uncertainty in bust
ness, neither, Boston, Providence, Buffalo,
Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Newark, or Roches-
ter merchants interviewed, express note
worthy enthusiasm as to trade prospects.
No gain is reported in trade circles at
Southern cities. Several thousand coal
strikers have gone back to work in the
Birmingham district, several Southern rail
ways are calling for more coal, and South
ern iron works are shipping more iron than
year ago. 1t is reported that Atlanta
hardware jobbprs based recent prices on the
Wilson bill and the prospective passage of
the Senate bill, which will make differ
epce in their profits in conss quence.
Little Rock expects Eastern cotton manu-
facturers to buy more freely now, and
three leading Texas cities, in view of the
excellent crop prospects in that state, and
prospectively the largest cotton crop on
record, regard the business outlook very
favorably. The proposed change in the
sugar schedule exerts material depression
in Louisiana.
The region west Of Pennsylvania and
east of the Mississippi river reports almost
uniformly favorable trade conditions, with
grain in demand and industrial activity, the
exceptions being the Indiana and Illinois
pottery industries, and among the Indiana
clothing manufacturers, who report that
they expect to reduce wages. Country
merchants in the two states named
have been buying heavily from
Chicago jobbers but that city's trade
from regions west of the Mississippi has
fallen off.
St. Louis continues the exceptionally
favorable report of previous weeks, with
an additional feature demand for iron in
creasing. The more important cities in
Wisconsin and Minnesota report an i'm
proved outlook for trade and an increase In
volume of business, due to the favorable
crop returns. An increased demand is
noticed for groceries, hardware, cutlery and
shoes. The serious damsge to the corn crop
in Kansas had an unfavora0le effect at
Kansas City and crop damage in that State,
Ms we'll as Nebraska, and Iowa, overshadow-
ing other conditions, is characterizipg the
trade reports from Lincoln, Omaha, and
Burlington.
Exports of wheat (hour included) from
the United States and Canada, both coasts,
amounted to 2,979,924 bushels, sgainst
6,I29 200 in the week year ago.
The bank cleariugs of "a cities, this week,
aggregate 1871, 900 900, a gain of per
cent. over last week, and s per cent. over
this week year ago, and decrease of FL
per cent. from this week of two years ago.
,Fhe number of business failures in the
United States, this week, was 234, against
400 in the like week of last year.
The earnings of seven railroads in June,
show a decrease of Is s per cent. in gross
and 2l.S per cent. net. For SIX months the
total gross earnings of 157 railroads, more
than two-thirds the total mileage of the
United States, aggregate $30S $50 400; net
earnings SsT, goo ,096, falling off respec-
lively of 1874 per cent. gross and lS.S per
cent. net from year ago. The best show
iHg is by Southern and Granger railro ads
and the poorest by the Southwestern and
Pacific lines. -ar