Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-08-25
BETTER TRADE REPORT
Given Out by Bradstreets Than for
Several Weeks Past.
Dealers Generally Buying Mere in Spite Of
Politics and Labor Troubles.

morrow, will say: The serious Industrla
disturbances in New England, the droutl
in the Central and far Western states cur
failing nearly all the staple crops, a DISPOSE
ton in all lines to continue to buy for near
by wants only, fail to greatly Influence
general trade throughout the country, thu
trend of which is toward further improve
inent. The Northwestern states east of tbt
Missouri and the Atlantic and gulf coss
Southern states report relatively greater
gains in volume of traffic and in the spread
of that better feeling and confidence in
larger volume of business in the fall on
which improvement in business depends.
Prominent among the evidences of ex-
pansion in general trade is this week's bank
cIearings, with a total of $500 900, a
gain over last week of about per cent,
and over the like total of year ago, whe n
the clearings got down to about low water
mark, an increase of 20 per cent. Com
pared with the total in the like week of two
years ago, this weeks aggregate clearings
show decrease Of IS per cent. 1t is
worth noting, as a sign of business move
ment, that every citys clearing, total for
the week was larger than year ago except
one.
The gains in clearpgs at the whiskey
markets, Louisville, Cincinnati, Pdfi, and
Lexington, naturally extraordinarily ex-
panded.
The greatest apparent increase in the
volume of business during the week is at
St. Louis, Baltimore, Chicago, st. Paul.
Minneapolis and San Francisco. At the
larger Eastern cities there is evidence OF
increased confidence that the autumn will
bring largely augmented demand ia nearly
all the staple lines. Baltimore is the only
city in this group announcing decided i'm
provement, Southern buyers having placed
good orders there for dry goods, notions,
millinery and shoes.
Slight gains are reported only in petro-
Ieum ard shoes at Philadelphia, and the
cheaper grades of footwear and market
securities ut Boston. Sales of wool
at the latter point have fallen off
sharply and wool importers and dealers
having the raw product in store and in bond
find that transactions are checked because
of the doubt whether it will be admitted
free under the new tariff. The renewed
strength in Eastern states in the cotton
goods market may hardly be regarded as
an evidence Of the relation of demand to
supply, it being based on the lockout and
strike of the mill employees. Neither Buff
falo nor Pittsbu-g find trade features to re-
port other than that the merchants antici-
pate revival Of demand ia the fall. Iron
and steel prices in western Pennsy lvania
have tended downward within the week, the
production having grown steadily in ad-
vance of demand.
At Cleveland groceries are more active,
and the outlook for freight rates is better,
which is true at Duluth as well. The least
encouraging report is from Cincinnati. At
Louisville, even though the drouth threat
ems tobacco, the demand for dry goods and
groceries is larger, as is true also at Detroit
From Chicago, word is received of heavier
mail orders and personal buying of dry
goods, clothing, shoes, hardware and iron
from Indiana, Illinois, part of Iowa aud
the Northwestern states. Orders from
west of the Missouri river are light, owing
to the unfavorable crop prospects. The
drouth said to curtailed the Illinois butter
and cheese yield, and the short supplies OF
hogs in the West, has resulted in the shut
ting down of the packing houses in Iowa
and Nebraska.
Southern purchases at st. Louis continue
heavy, being the feature of the week, more
than offsetting the decreased Western pur
chases due to the drouth. Rains have
helped the pasture land in Kansas and
Iowa, but not the yield of corn. Kansa:
City's trade was only of fair volame, ant
that of Omaha was quiet. There was s
moderate gain at Milwaukee, and tie strik
ing improvement general trade at St. Pau
and Minneapolis continues, the shipments
from the latter point being quite satisfac
tory. Portland, Oregon, reports fall tradt
rID al
&c 900 cases larger than last year. At SAL
Francisco trade is better than for ST,
months past. chiefly due to the gain in tn.
volume of exports in all directions.
The general trade at Southern cities be
trays no change within the week in volum
of transactions or demand but business OF
the whole is relatively better than in SOM
other portions of the country, there being
better request for lumber at Charleston
hardware and machinery at Augusta, rosil
at Savannah and whiskey ut Nashville
The prospective early movement of cottol
il expected to stimulate trade in all stapl
lines Jobbers at Birmingham Ala, re
port heavier August trade so far tan
year ago, and the crop outlook in Louisi
ana is expected to help business Interest,"
there generally. The Texas coast region
crops uTt sdlu u nave bttti uhihdSSu Wy CA
cossive rains.
The attempts of the New Bedford anc
FAN River cotton goods manufacturers t
reduce wages has caused strikes and lock
out of nearly 10000 employees, operating
fully 5000, 900 spudles, over half the cot
ton spinning capacity of the country. Priu
cloths have advanced 3-Sc. as q result, bal
the prospect seems to b. for months sas
pension of operations, Nth a heavy loss Il
employers and employees.
Exports of wheat -four, included a
wheat, on both coasts, this week, six days
equal 3,ls2 100 bushels, against 1919 90,
week, and Az 900 the week before last
and 4 $50 900 in the third week of August
year ago. Two years sgo the weeks for
eign shipments amounted to 4 COG 900 bush
els, and three years ago, 6,34S 600. ant
four years ago, 1868, 900.