Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-08-11
A WELCOME TRIFLE.
Business Reported Slightly Better in
Some Sections of Country.
Most Noticsab'e Movement Of Week Was in
wheat and Corn.

commercial tide, in the revival after the
moderate revival in the spring. As re-
ported lat week, July bank clearings this
year furnished list Of 20 cites with larger
aggre gates than last year, and the June re-
port furnished IS cities with totals larger
than June of year ago. The clearings
otal for the six days ending Thursday
were S774 900 900, or IL per cent. larger
than the week previous and 6 per cent.
smaller than the second week of August of
last year, when the bank clearings became
very small. The significance of this is
found in the fact that the clearings totals
this week at all points New York city ex-
cepted) furnish an aggregate of IL per
cent. larger than the second week of Au-
gust of last year.
Reports of the gross earnings of 1913 rail-
road companies during July, point the same
way, and aggregate $50, l6S 900, decrease
of 10 3 per cent. compared with July of
1898, against decrease Of 90 per cent. in
the earnings Of a similar number of roads
for June.
The practical cessation of the various Be-
we're industrial disturbances has emphasized
the tendency to improvement reported from
the leading manufacturing and commercial
centers this week. A further indication of
tendency to improvement is seen in the
weeks advance of 30 cents a ton for steel
billets, and in the fact that the domestic
wool markets, today, are more in favor of
the seller than for year. Wool is firm at
cents advance scored in the last few weeks.
Refined sugar is Use. higher, possibly
for reasons not directly connected with
questions of demand and supply. Prices
of pig iron at st. Louis are higher, and for
cotton l-lGc. up, on reports of damage to
the crop and an improved feeling in COM
mercia eenters in, the South, Leaf tobacco
and leather are both firm with active de-
mand the tendency Of prices being upward.
The recent destruction Of lumber by fire at
Chicago has steadied quotations.
The panic and unreasoning speculative
interest in Indian corn put up the pr zee
nearly s cents bushel this week, about 25
cents above the low water mark for the
year. Bradstreet's kilograms from those in
position to know as much as can be learned
in the great corn-growing states, are at
variance with more sensational dispatc hes
bearing on tile damage to the corn crop,
and indicate that most Of the extreme bull
views as to the staple are exaggerated, the
increased corn acreage South and West
pointing to probable crop as large as in
either of the two preceding years, in each
of which the out-turn was not more than 6
per cent. below the average of the domestic
crop for nine years past
Wheat jumped up2 5S cents this week
in sympathy with corn, and oats "a cents.
Hay and other feed stuffs advanced briskly
at the West, because of the alleged scarcity
of corn. This supplied the horse, cattle
and hog markets with inferior stock, result
ing in depressed quotations. Lard ad-
vanced sharply, the demand abroad and at
home having noticeably expanded.
Rhode Island wooden mills received nu-
merous orders, because of smaller importa-
tons, due to the expected adjustment Ut
the tariff. Cotton manufacturers in that
state have thus far taken no action looking
to reduction of wages, as at Fall River.
Boston reports that Massachusetts cotton
manufacturers fed business unsatisfactory
though manufacturers of mems wear wool
ems report products moving freely. Buff
falo and Pittsburg report an improvement
in general trade extending to several impor-
tsnt lines. AT Baltimore the months trade
thus far exceeds anticipa,ioDs.
The relatively most favorable report thus
far this year regar ling demand for and
Western and Northwestern cities this week,
and comparatively uniavorable from Chi
cago, Kansas City and Omaha. At the
first, Willie trade is fair, damage to crops
from the drouth has prevented Western
buyers from making as large purchases as
expected. Dry goods and lumber are NOV
ing actively. Kansas City and Omaha re
port interior merchants buying only from
hand to mouth, because of the expected
check to trade from damage to the crops.
At Cleveland the manufacturing lines re-
port increasing orders and better feeling
Transactions are more numerous at Cincin
natl and business at Detroit is fair for the
season. Louisville reports that almost al
branches Of business have sustained s
healthy improvement. At ST. Louis genera
trade thus far this year is in excess of Tho
like portion of last year. At st. Paul al
staple lines report more numerous orders
and better collections. A larger volume OF
trade is announced in several lines at Min
neapolis. There is some gain at Dulutl
where collections are better. The improve.
ment extends to nearly all lines at Ssr
Francisco as well.
Chattanooga adyices are that groceries
are moving more freely with collections
nil lines report more active shipments
Favorable weather, good crop prospects
and bright outlook for business chsrac
terize the situation at Augusta, and a
Jacksonville, Fla, the wholesale trade il
expanded. A fairly good demand is reported
from Savannah, no improvement at Mem
phis. while the outlook is more encouraging
at Charleston, which reports lumber ant
naval stores markets as more active
Neither birmingham nor New Orleans ad
vices contain news of Improvement in de
mand. AT Galveston trade is reported
slack in dry goods and notions.
American and European total available
supplies of wheat decreased 4 100, 900 bush
els net during July against decrease OF
1900, 900 bushels in July q year ago. Last
months sharp falling off in the world;
stoks was due to the unusually heavy July
decrease in European supplies and those
ailoat therefor, because the stocks at home
increased exceptionally last month. Elk
ports of wheat, United States and Canada
both coasts, this week, aggregate SAT- ,00C
bushels, against 5.0lS, 900 in the week 9
year ago.
The number of business failures in the
United States reported this week were 1877