Birmingham age-herald., 1894-10-20
WEEKLY TRADE REVIEW. A Continued Moderate Improve
 ment Reported.
LOW PRICES OF PRODUCTS,
Especially Cotton and Wheat, Make Themselves Felt-Iron
 Picking Up-Failures.

NEW YORK, Oct. 19.-R. G. ~Dun& Go. B weekly review of trade says: Cotton be- low cents aud wheat below 56 cents, each lower than ever since present classifica- | tions were known, with exports of gold instead of products at such prices in Octo. Der, are the salient features in bushes this week. Distribution of goods to con- 'sumers goes on fairly, with gains at nearly all points in comparison with last year, but not nearly at g rate to sustain the pres-
 ent volume of manufacturing production, so that prices weaken little. With many features of encouragement, business has
 not yet answered expectations, and it is ey- ident that the loss on part of the corn crop I and the unnaturally low prices of other great staples affect the buying power of millions. -8f
 Domestic exports from this city in two weeks of October were IS per cent less in value than last year, while the increase in value of imports hss been 27 per cent. Much of the decrease in exports is in price, but in August and September the quantity of wheat decreased over a third, provi- sions and cotton gained, but oil decreased, and in min or products exports in Septem- Der declined 16 per cent. The increase in imports exclusive of sugar was over 35 per cent in September, and in two weeks of October at New York over 43 per cent. With this heavy increase in purchases and a decrease in sales of products abroad the
 market for foreign exchange is in position to be quickly affected by withdrawals of capital on apprehensions regarding the future peace of Europe.
 With the $500, ,0O0 in gold shipped Tues. day it is expected that as much will be added today. It appears that three trust companies here now hold over $40 ,000, ,000 idle money and that eastern mill loans are being taken from New York by New Eng land banks, while the northwestern de- nland for money is unusually small. The treasury is again. falling backward in re- serve, and large imports yield a little less revenue than last year, while internal rev. enue for the past three weeks Is $4 500, ,000 smaller than year ago.
 The dry goods business and textile in- dustries were especially favored by the de- sale and then retail stocks have been re- plenished, and business waits for retail sales, which are yet slower than was ex- pected. In cotton goods the new business has been narrow and resumption by Fall River mills has depressed prices to some extent.
 The iron and steel business makes bet ter showing this week, BesseIner pig having stiffened to s10. at Pitsburg, and at Chicago and New York further struct. ural and bridge orders have been placed, but bar iron has fallen to 90 cents for com mon and $1 for steel at Pittsburg, which prices are below those current in Great Britain. There is good demand for sheets and some good bridge contracts are re- ported.
 The failures in October thus far have been quite moderate in strictly commercial lines, the liabilities amounting to B ,821, . 937, of which 1,79s, ,636 weresof manufac- turing and S1 ,996, ,636 of trading concerns Some failures Of banking, investment and loan concerns, not here included, have not proved of general importance. During tn @ past week the failures have been 253 in tn @ United States, against 341 last year, and 43 in Canada against 29 last year. s.&4~