Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-14
BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
Strike is About Over But whole Country Feels
its Effects.

New YORK, July l3.-Bradstreets will
say tomorrow During the greater portion
of the week the general wholesale business
at Chicago and centers within the territory
tributary was practically paralyzed by the
railway strike. The larger Eastern cities
felt the effe ct of the tie-up in restricted re-
ceipts of live stock, meat and produce, and
Western manufacturers and merchants SUI
fered loss through inability to secure sup
plies and raw material from the East.
The industrial situation is greatly I'M
proved. The failure of the American Rail
way Union boycott appears complete. Kali
road traffic has been generally resumed and
the number of idle men has been greatly
reduced. In other lines the situation is
improved. The coke strike is conceded a
failure. the operatives returning to work.
A SETTLE ment of the potters' strike at Tren-
ton, after las ing six months, means the re-
employment of thousands.
number of small strikes are reported.
There are % 600 fewer idle because of the
strikes, Friday of this week, than last.
Iron, steel, lumber, shoes, wool and cotton
manufacturing industries at the larger
Eastern ard Western centres made practi-
cg lily no shipments, and commercial travel
ers throughout the Central and Western
states were generally compelled to leave the
road.
The low ebb trade is Effected in SS73,-
100000 bank clearings for the week, per
cant more than was reached in the previous
week. Owing to the shrinkage of bank
clearings the totals for July of last year,
the weeks total shows decrease compared
with last year of only ~ l-2 per cent.
Aside from the influences already referred
to, the feature of the week at Boston, as at
other Eastern centres, were higher prices
for grain and provisions.
Buffalo reports increased live stock ship
ments from Indiana, which would have
gone to Chicago, and Baltimore a smaller
trade from the West and fewer orders than
expected from the South. A fair volume
of business in shoes is reported from Phila-
delphia, but there was practically no note
worthy movement at Pittsburg. A demand
for leaf tobacco is reported from Louis
vile. ~
At Chicago and st. Louis the manufactur-
ers and jobbers report the volume of trade
still far below that usual at this period of
mid summer depression. Kansas City was
seriously affected by the railway strike, but
SUOus are INV.
Omaha was apparently LEES affected. At
Milwaukee restricted traffic was severely
felt. Duluth reports several lumber deals
requiring exceptionally low prices to close
them.
All the Southern cities say business is
very dull. Georgia markets report that
turpeutine has advanced in price, New Or
leans that sugar is net in special demand
and little doing. Rice is higher and in re-
quest. Exceptionally favorable trade pros
poets are reported from points in Texas.
The worlds stock of wheat declined during
the past IA weeks about 100000 bushels
more than in the like portion of last year
and it is significant that in view of the in
ristance in trade that the invisible domestic
supplies are almost exhausted. Exports of
wheat, flour included, on both coasts of the
United States and Canada, this week, equal
1877, 90 bushels, compared with 4,l94,000
in the second week of July last.
The gross earnings of III railroads for
June, show an average decrease, compared
with June, 1898, of % per cent. The fig
ures reflect the coal strike. The decrease
in gross earnings in May was II per cent.
For the six months ending June 80, the av-
erage decrease in gross is lG per cent.
There were 800 failures in the United
States this week, against 39S in the second
week of July, last year. An examination
of staple prices compared with the middle
of 1891, following the Barring en-
barrassment, indicates that flour has de-
clined 40 per cent, wheat As per cent,
corn 81 per cent, oats so per cent. higher
than three years sgo, pork and lard respec-
lively Is and II per cent. higher than three
years ago, and changes in prices of butter
and cheese less significant.
There is no such radical movement ex-
hibited in prices for print cloths, sugar,
coffee, cotton, refined petroleum, anthracite
coal, raw wool has dropped 81 per cent,
pig iron, bessimer and anthracite 25 per
cent, bilets % per cent, and bituminous