The Portland daily press., 1894-02-17
BRAD STREET'S ON TRADE.
The Snow Storms Making Themselves
Felt in the Returns.

| Commercial Travellers Report MANY of
| Their Orders as Dependent on the Ac-
| ton in Congress on the Tariff BiII-
Last Years Bank Failures.
New York, February 16.-Bradstreets
tomorrow will say: photographic ad-
wees from leading trade centres make it
plain that the volume of general busi-
ness since the beginning of the month
| shows decrease as compared with the
corresponding portion of January this
year. There is disposition to continue
disposing of stock and buy for immedi-
ate wants until after the tariff question
| is disposed of. Commercial travellers
for dry goods, clothing, hard ware, shoe
and other houses, in number of inst anc-
es are on their way home or have an
rived home. They report many of the
orders secured as dependent on the pas
sage, or otherwise, of the tariff bill.
,, Snow and storms have Temporarily
| checked business in the West, many rail-
way lines are blocked and the country
roads are rendered impossible. though
northwestern advices are that snow is of
value to winter wheat. The greatest ac-
tivity in commercial lines is in dry goods,
| shoes and rubbers, and in the South. in
plantation susplies and fertilizers. Wheat
| prices have again gone below the previ-
! Gus RECORDS with as little certainty as
I, as previously that they have touched
bottom. The anthracite coal production
| will continue restricted iii,s month with
| prices for stove cut 25 cents. Cattle ai.t..
| hogs at leading Western markets are in
| full supply and 10 per ct, lower on 100lbs.
Wool is duller and manufacturers are
working on orders and buying as need
ed This results in shaded prices. At
some more important Eastern dry goods
centres. jobbing is very moderate, indigo
prints being cut 1-2 and print cloths
lower, with stocks accumulating. Rice
is in good demand. Suger is from is to
Ia higher.
Bessemer pig iron at Pittsburg holds
it's seventy-five advance, although fears
are expressed of a reaction now that the
makers will begin to produce from lower
priced ores. The recent expansion of the
demand for manufactured iron and
steel continues, although checked by
consumers awaiting action on the tariff
by Congress. Earliest reports of the
general tendency to extend mercantile
credits where deserved come from Boston,
where commercial paper is readily
placed at low rates. This is reported
also from Omaha. Consumption demand
is more restricted at Boston. Providence
reports dullneSS among wooden and
worSted manufactures.
/. Notwithstanding extreme Tdepressionsin
the wheat market, San Francisco ad-
vices are that someone there is buying
all the wheat offered. Exports of wheat,
flour included, from both coasts, equal
2, 900, 600 against 5000, 900 bushels in the
second week in February last year. In
the first six weeks of the calendar year
of 1888, The available wheat stocks of the
United States and Canada increased
1 ,O96, 600 bushels. In the past six weeks,
the net available supplies decreased 777,-
600 bushels.
Bank clearings aggreg ate S7S9, 00O, 600
this week, a decrease.of more than IL per
cent compared with the week before, and
81 per cent contrasted with year ago.
The clearings at Boston this week de-
creased So, 600, 900.
Mercantile failures throughout the
country this week number 2SS, against
205 in the week year ago. The recent
government report on cotton marketed
from plantations indicates a probable
of gross and net railway earnings for
1858 are less disappointing than the
monthly reports indicated. The total
gross railway earnings amounted to
1892, 600, 900, decrease of 16 per cent
from 1892; the total net, $270, ,OO0, 900,
port of embarrassed banks, by classes
an states for the year 1898. shows a total
of 59S, exclusive of South Dakota, owing
s170,000,000, having $1S4, 600, 600 assets.
One hundred and ninety-three resumed
business, the liabilities being only $780,
900. 600; assets, $S5, 100000. The remaining
banks doors are still closed. They num-
ber 40, with aggregate debts of SfO4, 000,-
600 and assets of $50. 600, 000