Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-11-03
CONSERVATIVE
Is the Business Outlook Ac-
cording to Bradstreets.
Little Far-Reachng Improvement
Over Previous Week.
Total Stocks Of AVAILABLE Wheat Reported Are
Largest on Record.

New YORK, Nov. 2-Bradstreets will
say tomorrow; General trade continues ON
conservative lines, there being little far
reaching improvement IN bu-lness circles,
compared with a week ago, aside from the
settlement of the strike az Fall River, one
of the effects of which is expected to be
steadying of prices of cotton fabrics and an
inducement to cloth printers to order for
future delivery. Some encouragement is
drawn from the frmer market for cheaper
grades of shoes, for drugs at leading CEN
tres, for hogs at the Western markets, due
to the decline in receipts, and for fruits on
the arrival of colder weather. This en-
coura2ement is drawn from advances on
wheat of | l-2 cents and 3-8 cents,on oats
! Is cents, lard Ito cert, coffee IA cent.
Whether reaction 10 these quotations IS to
be of some permanence remains to be seen.
Another favorable report is that to Brad
street concerning the October bank clear
ipps, which refec an enlarged fall trade
in total larger than for any month since
June, 1893. The aggregate reported to
Bradstreets for October this year is S4,-
228 287 $50, an increase over September,
1894, of 81 per cent, and over October of
last year more than 3 per cent. Cities
very generally report increases over year
ago, only about seventh showing de-
creases. New York city clearings fail to
show such large proportionate increase as
other cities. Only one in the Eastern and
Middle states shows an increase from Octo
ber year ago.
Notwithstanding the better demand for
lower grades of shoes at New England
markets, among which to seven cities were
shipped 1CO 900 cases this week against G8,-
600 the corresponding week year ago, the
quotations for leather weakened. At Chi
cago excessive competition from the north
results in further cuts il lumber prices.
Sugar is 3 Sc lower, and bessemer pig iron
and steel billets are Is and 25c lower, re-
spectively, notwithstanding the recent firm
ness of the former at Pittsburg. Cotton
has gone off sixteenth of cent. This
results in a reduction in the number Of
orders sent from The interior points to
southern centres. Closer scrutiny of
credits throughout the south is a restriction
on the volume of trade there.
Whether the reduction in the price of
cattle is due primarily to German prohibi-
ton of importalions from this country re-
mains to be seen. Throughout some por-
tions of the Northwest complaints are still
heard of the unseasonably mild weather,
with its consequent unfavOrable effect on
busin, SIS, wi.i.o there, as elsewhere, interest
in the political situation just prior to elec-
ton day checks business somewhat.
The condition of the iron and steel indus.
tries is less favorably regarded than a
month ago. There's little life in wool
although the mills are using considerable
raw material. Purchases of Australian a,
concessions continue to depress quotations
for territory woods.
Exports of wheat and flour as wheat, botf
coasts of the United States, amounted to
1884 900 bushels, against 2,S62 900 the
corresponding week of year ago. Tota
stocks available of wheat in the United
States ard Canada and those sfoat for Eu
rope from all sources and held in Europe
Nov. /, were the largest on record, SllS,
GS2 ,010 bushels, ) 500 coo more than the
wear before, and much heavier when com
pared with corresponding dates of previou
years The rapidity of shipment
of domestic wheat to narke
was Indicated by the net gli1 of Al 3I9, ON
bushels within the four months, the htavi
est like increase exc pt in 1892 it te'n!
three times larger than from July | /,
October 81, 1898. European stocks sn'
those afoat for Europe have been in thu
habit of increasing more than 3,0oo oO'
bushels during October in preceding years
but last month fell off 232 00o bushels ret
which buillsh factor has more than offse
the extraordinarily heavy increase on TN
side. The total numbsr of failures In tn
United States this week is 253, against so
ayear ago.