The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-08
HOLIDAY TRADE UNDER WAY.
What Activity There Is Mainly Among
Retailers.

Jobbe-s Buying Only to Fill Out De-
pleted stooks-Tho Volume of TraIe
at Boston, Buffalo. Pittsburg and Phil
adelphia Less Than a Year Ago-Rea-
sonable Activity IN Staple Goods Re.
ported at the South, With Moderate
Improvement at Several Points.
New York. Dec. T.-Bradstreet's to-mor-
row will say; AT the larger eastern cities
retail trade has assumed the characteris-
tics OF the holiday season. The demand
from jobbers Is mainly to I'll out depletod
stocks, and activity is mainly among re-
tailers. An encouraging report regarding
the outlook is received from Baltimore. bua
Boston. Buffalo. Pittsburg and PhiladeIS
phia announce trade quiet, with the vols
ume for November less than in 1898.
'At the south there is a reasonable ac-
tivity in staple goods. with a moderatd
improvement at Nashville. Chattanoogaf
Savannah, Augusta and jacksonville
Southern jobbers are paying as much at
tention TO collecting bills as to selling
goods. AT Charleston, Memphis and Bir-
mingham trade is quiet and unchanged{
New Orleans and Galveston likewise send
unfavorable reports Of the movement oc
merchandise, but at the first named tho
free marketing OF crops makes money
more plentiful, though the demand fou
funds is small. There has been a mods
crate gain In the distribution OF groceriess
shoes and light hardware from GaivesS
ton, but the sales of dry goods are dull"
II. @. Duns weekly review OF trade tos
morrow will say: at Is dinleult to detect
any change In current business. The
prospects for business after Jan. / ara
quite generally considered more hopeful
In some branches there are larger orders
and the west bound shipments OF mere
chandse are little larger. But the work.
ing force is naturally diminished near the
end OF the year, and the holiday traffc
brings Just now temporary activity
which is not Of much general signiiS
cance.
THE meeting OF congress and the pros
posed new currency plan and the various
bills proposed, have not affected the situa-
tion perceptibly The payments for the
bonds have been completed without dis
turbance but did not prevent the ship
ment OF gold to Europe to-day.
"On the whole, agricultural products
are scarcely stronger. and the wages OF
labor do not advance, but there is reason
TO expect the employment OF a somewhat
larger working force after the holidays.
"a reduction In the price OF rails has
brought out no large contracts as yet,
but some good orders have been given for
freight cars one for 800.
THE payments through the principal
clearing houses are a shade less favor
able, but show for the first week of De-
cember an increase of 46 per cent, COM
pared with last year, and decrease OF
1874 per cent. compared with 1892, when
business began 20 fall below the record OF
previous months"
The iron industry seems to have dis
tinctly brighter prospects at Chicago,
where pig iron is firmer and bar in larger
a4W4A -
cars. But Bessemer iron has sold at sl0.25
at Pittsburg. steel rails have been re-
duced to $22 there, and wire rods and nails
are weaker. A comparison Of prices
there and at the east shows the lowest
average recorded. Taking prices Of Oeto-
Der. 1890. as 100 quotations have fallen. to
557. and are 50 far shaded that substan-
TALLY half the price has been cut off Within
years. Southern works are offering iron
here and in New England at very low
figures, and though a somewhat better de-
mand appears for finished products II is
so far below the output that the.competi-
tion leaves scarcely profit.
The money market has not improved.
and the drift OF idle money hitherward is
as large as at any time this year. A re-
markable statement shows that the treas-
ury transfers of money have been almost
exclusively to New Orleans $2,375 900 in
October against $4,000 to all other points.
and 81 900 in November against $203,000
to all other points. Commercial loans
show no increase whatever and heavy
sales of American securities by London
this week have advanced exchange to the
shipping points, so that S1,250.000 in gold
will be exported here to-day.
The liabilities in failures for the last
week Of November were $2,03S, ,407, against
$2,904. 476 for the same week last year, but
the decrease was wholly in manufactur-
ing liabilities, 81 ,427,644. against $1675,021
last year. while trading liabilities were
$,567,34S against 81 449 last year.
For the four weeks of November the ag-
gregate was $1O,5s1, ,S7S, against S2oSfl,62f
last year.
The failures this week have been 3S5 in
the United States, against 1856 last year.
and 40 in Canada, against AZ last year.