The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-10-13
FINANCE AND TRADE.
Business Awaiting the Develop
ment of Retail Trade.
SOME ENCOURAGING FEATURES.

WhiIo the Most Marked Improvement i.
Shown In the West and south, the Ending
of the Great Cotton Mill Strike Improves
the situation East.
New YORK, Oct 13-R. G. Dun g. Co g
weekly review of trade says: Business Is
still waiting for the development of retail
trade. There is little better demand in
some industries, but not SO good in others.
Wholesale dealers in nearly all branches
nre hating because retail business does
not yet show distinctly what it Is to be-
Lower prices for the great farm staples,
and lower wages in some establishments,
hinder purchases for consumption, while
political interest and uncertainty also
have some retarding influence.
Meanwhile large imports and small ex-
ports of merchandise with inadequate en-
ployment for money here are raising the
rates Of foreign exchange so that possbili-
ties of gold exports somewhat affect tho
stock market. The halting attitude for
the moment is disturbing to those who
have looked for continued gain, though
rightly considered it Is tho natural conse-
quence of conditions which were to be eX-
pected at this season.
The government crop reports are not
greatly trusted, and yet have IN influence,
and actually cxaggerato the tendency to-
ward lower prices, because they are sup
posed to put all the crops too low. Men
calmly reckon that, If the government re-
post indicates over 400,000oO0 bushels Of
wheat the crop must be over 500,00O000
bushels.
The iron industry records larger produc-
ton in September than in any other month
ha,t
ening because of insufficient demand for
finished products some works are prepar-
ing to close or shorten time
Failures for the week ending Oct show
liabilities of S1,71i,276, Of which Ss05, ,Ss5
are Of manufacturing and ss92 39l of trad
ing concerns. There have been 231 in the
United States, against 393 for the same
week last year, and 43 in Canada, against
~ last year.
Bradstrccts' review says: An acccntue
tion of favorable features is revealed in tho
telegraph reports to Bradstrcets this week
While advlceS MS to tho most marked i'm
provement come from the west and south
there are some encouraging features also
reported from the east, and the net result
OF the weeks business has been further
progress in the direction of enlarged distri
button. In New England although de
mand is classed as only moderate and a
conservative trade is doing, the industrial
situation improves owing to the ending
of the great cotton mill strike. Print
cloths are weaker as result of the settle
ment. Australian competition has also
weakened raw wool prices
Iron production at present is very large,
and this has impaired values of TIE raw
and manufactured product quite notice
ably. Cooler weather has improved the
distribution In scasonable lines at mum
Der of western and northwestern points.
Gross earnings reported to Bradstrects
of 12S roads representing $1,000 miles of
road, show total earnings for September
amounting to S3S, ,038 900, decrease of s
per cent. from September year ago.
Heavy worlds fair traffic II year ago ex.
plains decreases Of roads east of the Mis-
sissiDDi