Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-09-10
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
Less UniavorabIe Features Last Week-The
Strikes and Fires.

NEW Iurn, Sept. 9.-Bradstreet's of
yesterday says: Special kilograms to
Bradstreet's from more important dis
tributing points make it plain that in
mercantile lines trade is fairly active. An
increased number of interior buyers at
larger cities within the week has served to
stimulate the feeling of hopefulness, and,
aside from the cotton mill strike in New
England, and distress in the northwest,
due to forest fires. the week has noo
brought unfavorable features.
Staple prices tend upward, except for
wool. Philadelphia now reports the pres
ence Of'country purchasers, particularly OF
dry goods, and a better demand for cotton
yarns Buffalo and Pittsburg merchants
announce more numerous orders, and
large volume of business Prints of course
are higher on reduced output, due to the
strike, and quotations for leather arc
stronger,
With Increasing Demand.
Observation-Disclosures recent reports of prob
able heavy yield of cotton, that staple is
1-16 higher. Pork and lard are each quoted
from q Il cent to y a cent higher than "a
IA cents, and oats q of a cent There is
no advance for iron and steel, but the de-
mand for iron pipe ut the south and west
has had a stimulating effect on manufac-
turcrs.
The relatively more sati sfactory business
situation south than elsewhere is indicated
by our reports from Nashville that jobbers
are more surprised and pleased at the ia
financial oft
merchants. Baltimore merchants have
made like reports, and add exceptionally
good collections.
A striking feature at the west comes
from Chicago, wherc the volume of bust
ness in all mercantile lines has increased,
especially in dry goods.
From Another Source.
r. G. Dun & Co.'S well known
Weekly Review of Trade says: The bust
ness outlook is much like an April day,
with alternate clouds and sunshine. In
some branches improvement still con-
tinues, while in others trade is diminish
ing In the adjustment to new conditions
such conflicting signs are to be expected,
and the more because the deferred busi-
ness which had awaited settlement was
by no means evenly distributed.
For some time to come it is likely con-
ditions in different trades and in different
minor branches of the same trade may
vary widely, much as it is otherwise in
creased but the strike of garment workers
spreads so rapidly that an early end is
considered certain, while the strikes in
cotton mills have advanced prices so much
that settlement is thought not distant.
Boots and Shoes.
The boot and shoe indGAtry has been less
affected the past year than any other, but
deferred business has easily lifted its
transactions above those of the same week
in ordinary years, Boston shipments being
80, $50 cases, against 81 400 last year, S4,S26
in 1892. 50, 1897 in 1891 and "a, 001 in 1890.
Large orders are no longer as frequent
as they were, but demands to fill assert
ments are very numerous and purchases
out of stock have exhausted supplies in
some lines. The slackening Of demand
has brought no shortening of production
as yet.
Failures in August aggregated liabil-
tiles of $40, 139, All, of which s., liz, $50 were
in manufacturing and s., 07S, 1873 in trading
concerns. During the week the failures
were 2l5 in the United States, against 1873
last year, and AZ in Canada, against %
last year.