The Portland daily press., 1894-12-08
favorable because of the unseasonably open

faVofa Dla because OF the unSeaSonably open
weather.
= Throughout Nebraska and the adjacent
region, owing to the need of rain several of
these characteristics apply to Omaha, Des
Moines. Milwaukee, St. Paul, Minneapolis
and Duluth, the last named announcing
that the departure of the last lake vessel
for the season has takon place. The aggre-
gate Of Duluth shipments by lake this year
is 100000 tons over 1898. and the receipts
trife smaller
THE TENDENCY OF PRICES is TO
increased iImness, and list of staples
showing advances being longer than that of
which quotations are maintained. AS at
London, wool sales closed five per cent
higher than the opening for good varieties.
That staple is regarded as having advanced, i,
although quotations for territories is
numinally. steady. Anthracite coal prices
have only nominally advanced. Western
tanners report seven per cent advance in
the price of calf skins. Chicago announced
sales of pig iron; St. Louis of scrap iron at
improved quotations, and live cattle at ten
cents higher. AT Kansas City and Omaha,
wheat, which finally jumped ahead of corn,
together with that staple with coffee and
oats. are higher. Prices of leather, copper,
lumber. bessemer pig iron. steel billets.
steel rails, lead, tobacco, tin plate and
naval stores wares are all said to be un-
changed in price and in instances are firm
er. More important cases in quotations
refer to sugar. cotton, tin and lard. Live
hogs are lower at Kansas City and higher
at Omaha. In industrial lines of wooden
and cotton goods, mills and shoe factories
are fairly busy. The production of bessemer
pig iron, as we'll as of other varieties, con-
tinues slightly in excess of the demand, al
though there have been several sales of iron
and steel for 1895 delivery at very low
prices. The going into effect of the wool
tariff January /, checks importations in
woolens in which there is prospect of
further reductions in price. Merchants and
manufacturers reported as anticipating
business will remain well within conserva-
tive lines during the winter, with a moder-
ate increase in the spring. Baltimore job
besr do not anticipate large business next
spring. and al Cleveland manufacturers are
inclined to regard the industrial outlook for
spring as promising only reasonable activi-
ty. AT ST. Louis jonbers anticipate a good
trade in the spring, and declare themselves
satisfied with the business of the past six
months.
THE WHEAT MARKET.
Notwithstanding the heaviest available
wheat stocks in the United States and
Canada both coasts on December l on
record, III, ,696, 700 bushels. November shows
only about sixty per cent of an increase
and in November 1898. American. Canadian.
European and afoat wheat stocks have in
creased but six million bushels in November
last, compared with the November increase
of seventeen million in 1888. There has been
3,0lI, 900 bushels of wheat. flour included as
wheat) exported from the United States
Canada none) this week as compared with
2.55S, 900 bushels this week year ago. The
improving character of trade of late is
showing itself in bank elearings. the totals
for this week amounting to 81, ISL &C, 600. an
Increase of five per cent over the first week
of December, 1898, and decrease of 20 per
cent as compared with the like in 1892, at
or about which period some of the largest
weekly bankEclearing totals are recorded.
Failures this week are 1856 in theN United
States.