Birmingham age-herald., 1894-08-25
Dun and Bradstreet's Reports More
 Encouraging.
THE SOUTH TO THE FRONT
With Marked Increase of BuSi- ness-lron Picking Up-Fail-
 ures for the Week.

NEW YORK, Aug. 2S.-R. e. Dun & Co.'s weekly review of trade will say to- morrow: Changes during the past week have not been definite nor very important. As the presidents final decision regarding the new tariff is assumed, but not yet cer- tainly known, part of the hesitation which appears may be attributed to the lingering uncertainty, which must soon terminate. Other conditions, if not entirely favora- ble, have at least not changed for the worst during the past week. The business so long delayed ty tariff uncertainties begins to come forward, so. that transactions In many departments are larger of late, and on the whole larger than at any time of especial stagnation last year, but it js still too soon to determine how far the satisfac- tion of postponed demands will set idle hands at work, or raise the transactions towards the normal volume. But it is a healthy sign that the gain thus far IS grad ual and not spasmodic or fiighiy in ap- pearance.
 In all the great industries some increase in demand for products has appeared, and the boot and shoe trade continues to lead others in recovery, as shipments from the east not only exceed last years largely, but surpass those in August of previous years. Economy appears here 1n purchases or cheaper qualities rather than in purchases of fewer pairs of cases, and the demand is largely for speedy delivery, rehecting un- usual reduction of stocks. The cotton manufacture, which has been employing larger proportion of its normal force than most others and accomplishing goods greatly in advance of current demands, mas about 23 ,000 workers on strike at Fall River and New Bedford to resist proposed re- duction of wages. and the mills have been closed with the apparent expectation that the difficulty will last some weeks. A some- what increased demand for goods has ap- peared, tut perhaps not yet as great as many have anticipated.
 In the iron and steel manufacture, the demand for finished products increases, butts at present not as large as the capacity of the works which have endeavored to re- sume operations, so that their competition results in prices nearly as low as have been reached at any time.
 A moderate gain in transactions is seen at Philadelphia, though finished products z there are weaker, and at New York, no lm- provement yet appears, while at Pittsburg, and Cleveland tsere is more buying, but at Chicago ccnsidvrably less than Of late. Several more fu1R aces have gone into op- eration, notwitI Atanding the scarcity of water supply at Connellsville and conse- quently ol coke a Ad prices of pig iron are not further depreA ed.
 A moderate ind Rse is seen in the woolen mills in operatio and agents who have offered spring good& generally at a reduc- tion of about l2h per cent from last years prices have taken orders Tor considerable quantities, but there is still great uncer- taiDty about the extent and effect of for eign competition In many important classes, particularly of the better grades of goods, and as this must continue for moutbs, the adjustment to new conditions must be gradual.
 The money market continues to r fleet legitimate increase of commercial demand which comes mainly from dry goods com but sf in v,oka6 hot IL though the last week of August is at hand the requirements from the west and south for crop moving purposes are by no means of ordinary magnitude.
 The liabilities of firms failing for the second week of August amounted to only S1 1,613 1869, and for the last three weeks to only S7, z62 ,O76, of which S2, 663, ,209 were of manufacturing and B, 7S7 ,320 of trading concerns.
 The failures this week have been 23a in the United States against 40 last year, and % in Canada against 20 last year.
 BRADsTREEl's REPORT.
 NEW YORK, Aug. 24.-Bradstreet's to- turbances in New England, drouth in the central and far western states, curtailing nearly all staple crops, and disposition in all lines to continue to buy for nearby wants only, fail to greatly influence gen. eral trade throughout the country, the treud of which is towards further improve ment.
 Northwestern states east of the Missouri and the Atlantic and gulf coast southern states report relatively greater gain in vol ume of traffic and in the spread of that bet q ter feeling and confidence in large volume of business in the fall, in which improve ment depends.
 Prominent among evidences of expansion in general trade is this weeks bank clear ings total, sS29, GOO 1000, gain over last week of about per cent, and over the like total one year ago, when clearings got down to about low water mark, the in. crease is 20 per cent. But, compared with the total iu the like week two years ago, this week. aggregate clearings show de- crease of IS per cent. It is also worth noting us a sign of business movement that every city's clearings total for the Week Is larger than year ago, except one. Gains in clearings at whisky markets, Louisville, Cincinnati, Paris and Lexiug- ton, have naturally been expanded extra ordinarily.
 The greatest apparent increase in volume of business during the week Is at St. Louis, Baltimore, Chicago, St. Paul, Min neapols and San Francisco. At larger eastern cities there is evidence of an in- creased confidence that the autumn will bring a largely augmented demand in nearly all staple lines, but Baltimore is the only city in this group announcing de- cided improvement, southern buyers hav- ing placed good orders for dry goods, mo- tious, millinery and shoes.
 General trade at southern cities betrays no change within a week in volume of transactions or demand, business on the whole being relatively better than in some other portions of the couEhry. There is a