Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-03
THE BETTER TIMES.
They Are Coming, Though. II May be-
SlowIy-Commerc rciaI Reports.

They Are Coming, Though. II May BE-
SIowIy-C merciai Reports.
NEW YORK, February 2.-"Brad-
streets" tomorrow will say: The sue
cess Of the government bond-issue Is re-
carded With qualified satisfaction, but IN.
effect on either speculation or Investment
is merely sentimental. The market Is stlll
waiting for an end OF uncertainty about
financial and tarin legislation, though
values are apparently sustained by feel
ing that the depression has run its course,
and that improvement in business anu
railroad affairs will soon develop. The
absence Of serious manipu'ative pear at
tacks on prices Is no less marked than
the suspension of public or European pur-
chases Of securities
In Industrial lines the number of estah-
llshmcnts reopening Is more than ten To
one Of the number reported shutting down.
In fact. there Is reason u believe thht
hundreds Of Industrial esta aSllshments h1Er
begun work within a week or two. al
though not on full time In all cases. OF
= nich no specific mention has been made
IN print.
Last weeks Improvement IN iron ana
steel is continued. the stocks of raw and
frished material IN consumers hands
being estimated at lV0.VW tons
smaller than year ago. The cut IN
prices of pig-iron at Iit'sbnrg has 70
suited in orders for future delivery. ami
aycu at Philadelphia the improving d.
uand IS regarded as evldcucv OF per
manent gain. The shipments o. shoes
from New England have increased seven
or eight per cent within the week. and
the extension Of time for the tariff 10
take effect on wool and woOiicns has re-
suited in BostOns sales jumping from
2o0O.Ol0 pounds last week 10 i@p.pp
pounds this week. while al Phila-
delpha tho trade has been stimulated
also. orders for brown cottons are more
active and some mills making export
cottons are sold ahead Prints. ginghams,
and other wash-fabrics are jobbiug well,
but woollen-eOods mills report orders un-
satisfactory. and there Is a tendency to
,Lrtdn the output NJ fine cottons.
baltimore reports favorable prospects
for dry goods. but a one-third smaller
volume of clothing sales in January, the
orders received being mostly from the
South. the West being far behind January
last year.
business IL quiet at Charleston, except
that shipments Of fertilizers are heavy.
Country merchants are buying conserta-
lively OF Nashville jobbers. who are not
trying To push sales. and a similar report
is received from Memphis. Atlanta job
bers are shipping with some freedom and
the Industrial establishments there are
more active The cotton factories at Sa
vannah are holding for higher prices. and
quotations for turpentine are advancing.
Collections are better at Mobile, but at
Birmingham trade Is without feature.
The approach Of the annual festival at
New Orleans has stimulated business and
exports Of bulk corn are large. At Calves
ton the wholesale movement Of dry goods
AMI shoes is conspicuous.
Il. O. Dun * cos weekly review Of
trade tomorrow will say:
\ fresh impulse has been given to busi-
ness this week by the success OF the
Treasury IN obtaining gold for its reserve,
thus strengthening confidence in its ability
80 maintain gold payments. The revenue
had fallen of so much and the prospects
for The loan looked so unfaVorable until
financial institutions here decided to carry
it through, that some anxiety about the
monetary future was natural.
Investments la the ordinary sense have
been affected very little. and while more
demand for tine-loans has appeared. the
mOney-market cannot be- expected 10
hanks and more coming from the interior,
while the Treasury, also, is compelled TO
pay out more than IL now receives In
taxes.
The gradual Improvement IN business
explains the appearance OF more CONNER
ci.u paper I'm the market this week tllan
has been seen for long time. though as
vet the vast accumulation Of idle FUNDS Is
proof enough that trade has by no means
regained normal proportions. The indus
trial recovery continues. though 1t - but
gradual in response to the demand OF a
people whose consumption at its 10" est
is greater than that OF any otheH country
and more mills are now At work
The market for cotton goods has better
tone and more staples have been taken,
particularly Print cloths, with a sliSht
advance IN prices. but all qualities are eN-
tremcly low and scarcely any increase IN
the working. force il seen. Some dem0rali-
zation is again reported in th= prices or
woolcns. Spring goods are offered at a
heavy sacrifice. but there l. more bust
ness in dress-goods, and tapestry carpets
are in letter demand. while some lines or
BRUSSELS have been reduced In price.
Sales Of wool are still small, being FOR
the week 4,JG, 700 pounds. against Sl'awo
last year.
Eastern trade in boots and shoes stu
hesitates. with Boston shipments q per
cert below last years, but the western
factories are reported little better en-
ployed. about 10 per cent. oe.o" ueiF
:ull capacity.
\ larger demand for structural IRON ana
steel. for railway materials. except FOR
rails. for barbtd wire. and especially Tor
wire nails and wire rods. gives better
look TO the iron industry both east ana
west. Chicago notes distinct improve
ment: at Pittsburg business Is larger
though prices do not gain, aud even at
philadelphia trade is better both for pig
and finished products, while encourage
ment If found In the fact that prices DO
rot further decline.
only four Of the eleven stacks or the
Thomas Iron Company are In operation
and Of the Connellsville coke ovens, $40,
against 9.ie6 are idle. offers having Oeen
made as low as S,-facts which indi-
cate that the improvement Is not great
as yet. but there are reported heavy
sales Of bllIets and wire rods AT slightly
better prices Two events OF some note
are a sale OF Bessemer pig at Cleveland
for $40. and the capture OF an order Tor
80 miles OF wrOught-iron pipe for
Canada company 10y the American Tube
Works.
Domestic exports for four weeks have
been IL per cent lower that IN year ago.
while imports have been 81 per cent.
smaller.
The commercial failures for the week
number 36G in the United States. against
225 last year, and 50 in Canada. against i6
last year. the list including two OF over
a quarter of million each.
Cr..do,, ~ Eafxsiv n,uous