The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-06
CONDITIONS UNALTERED
CLOUD or UNCERTAINTY HOgERs
OYER TRADE.
Extent of the Decrease In the Various
Branches Of Observation-Disclosures Dur
ing the Past Year.

Will say:
The cloud Of uncertainty does not lift as
yet Strong confidence is expressed In
nearly all markets that trade must i'm
prove with the new year, bit it is yet too
early TO expect important change. il 1t is
really on the way. In the main, the con-
dltions continue unaltercd. But the pro-
posal Of an income tax is not calculated
to inspire confidence, nor does IT encour-
age hone that the uncertainty about reve-
nre laws will be speedily terminated.
Money from the interior stilI floods this
market commercial inactivity sim causes
the amount Of idle funds TO swell beyond
an precedent. and rates are 80 low that
specuIatiou might be dangerously stimu-
lated II a feeling OF ho2efulness prevailed.
The Working Forces.
II e fashionable whether the working
forc' an the great industries mas in
creased as set, though about the first Of the
wear considerable increase is expected.
The number Of mills starting and stop
ping work is about the same. Sales OF
wool Tor the week amount 10 2,i9i,S00
pounds. against i,i532)0 for the CORE
sponding week last year. and since May
Isl the decrease has been 1915 per cent.
Prices are somewhat weaker, and few
vnrxa rerOrt satisfactory orders. Prices
# cotton goods are further reduced to
encourage purchases. Most Of the shoe
sbons are moderately employed. and the
decrease m shipments for the week Is IL
uer ceut. against 20 pc: cent. for the last
seven MOTHS Of 1895. stu lower prices
are recorded H. iron and steel, both at
Philadslphia and Pittsburg, without IN
crease M volume OF business. Ii Is be-
iieved that the output OF pig though 80
per cent less than a year ago, exceeds
the present consumption. The volume OF
| business represented by exchanges outside
New York is 1872 per cent. less than FOR
the same week last yer.
Decrease in Business.
The results Of an inquiry regarding the
extent Of decrease in various branches
Of business during the last half Of 1913
are remarkable Actual sales have been
reported by III houses OF companies,
ageregating S213. 400. G26 this year, against
! 500 100 1O3 I'm the same months last year,
a decrease Of OBJ per cent In textile
! manufactures the decrease IS I'll per cent,
over Il per cent in all woolens. 10 per
cent. I'm silk. and 81 per cent. IN cotton
manufactures, 90 per cent. IN hosiery,
and $50 per cent. in mixed textiles III
dry goods the sales decreased only 10
Der cent. stocks previously held haNllls
! been much reduced and the reported de
crease in sales Of clothing is only l2.3
per cent. but in hardware only 80 per
! cent. I'm boot ana sh0e lhdhuldc'ui
the decrease is 1913 per cent. but in the
retail trade il was only li.6 per cent
| The decrease in furniture is ~ per cent.
! in iewelry 2fS per cent, ana IN sales Oh
| hats only 1876 per cent IL IS an interest
| ing and encouraging fact that sales oil
| groceries are slightly larger IMAM iast
wear though a little less at the East
and West. but greater at the South. The
fact that I'm most branches the decrease
appears smaller at the West than at the
East. and smaller at the South than nj
! the West. Is one of the curious results
of this novel investigation.
Failures During the Past Year.
The final CLASSIFIED returns of failures
for 1Sg3 are not yet complete, but the
ranorts received for the Inter part OF
December have sweed the aggregate
of commercial liabilities TO SIis' i8.iol'
Of which SiG7.5l5.9Sj are Of manuiacl"I
inc failures S123. 7lG.9GO of trading IAN
yves and Si7 go. $40 of other concerns
| For the past week the failures reported
/ have been 5ll in the United 9'al,S'
against 2si last year. and II in Canaua'
against II last year.
As radstreet sees II.
Nrw YORK. y. ~. Jan. 5.-Bradstreet
tomorrow will say: General trdu
throughout the country has heth sun,
| what less in volume than last wees "'
Iaf
in . report from Chicago that small MAJ
| o~d1re constitute the bulk Of the wholesale
! business Stock-taking Is also feature
| lint tho return of commercial travellers u
the road is reported from nearly All poihts
/ Prices FOR iron and steel are declared u
have been still further shaded az eastern
| centres since the beginning OF the year
/ and while there has been no further de
| pressiOn in wool prices, concessions are Oh
tanned on offers 60 buy. assumptions
WORK I'm Industrial lines are very numerous
moro than twice as many factories am
! mills having started up within the Weel
as have shut down, but reductions
| wages i'm Industrial lines continue Yer
numerous i'm establishments which renal
| at work. orders FOR print cloths al easter
| mills amount To only one-third OF IN
! ouantitv ON the books one year ago. an
| Inc Week = sales III MN'i OF INf'fNi'
o. Der cent. less than in the like week las
wear. Wooden mills are doing a hand-to
mouth business on orders. and interest d
| the cotton market is centcred on receipts
| which have begun 10 fan Off rapidly, al
though still ahead Of last year. The lol
| cotton crop estimates call for furthe
| shrinkage of receipts Eastern dry good
iobbers are preparing for the spring move
ment by ordering and opening supplies
! while agents have begun to get goods TOT
! ward Bank ciearings at siXty-hve cities
| for 1893 aggregate SA.l6j,op, FALLING ol
# about T. - per cent. from 1882. abou
| per cent. from 1891, ana less than IL pc
cent. from the total OF 1890
business at Baltimore is very dull, an
| merchants predict the JAM airy volume q
| business smaller than last year. Merchai
disc stocks are very light. At Charlesto
commercial travellers have been goins on
on the road There Is more activity /
tobacco az Louisville. and Kentucky jea
factories are running with full forces an
fair prospects. Atlanta manufacturers al
resumng work the demand for factor
products AZ Augusta remains quiet, an
collections are reported improving at "a
vannah
Mobile and New orleans report holdin
OF cotton for higher PRICES. notwithstant
ing heavy receipts.
sHo.s Church Company.
The snow-Church Company's Week.
Review Of Trade says.
year ,rsrsd ur with pIoi
poets not so bright as 1898. SO far as grn"l
al business is concerned. Meychanis hay
for some years past extended their terri
tory for doing business. hlt for the yea
just begun therp srrms 60 be "a tendenc
to draw In aud operate ON a more COZ
scgyauve basis, and coniine future Lao
to old fields.
The jobbers in dry goods report irad
| mini Ill hi. Inn. I'm LII IA -.-n sIIhnI-