The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-08-25
HI BUSINESS OUTLOOK.

England, drouth in central and far wes-
tern states curtailing nearly all staple
crops. and adisposition in all lines to
continue to buy for nearby wants only,
fail to greatly influence general trade
throughout the country, the trend of
which is toward further Improvement.
Northwestern States east of the Missouri
and the Atlantic and gulf coast South
ern States report relatively greater gains
in volume of r affic and in the spread
or that better feelings and confidence
in a larger volume of business in the
fall, on which Improvement in business
depends.
Prominent among evidences of expan-
sion in general trade is this weeks bank
clear.ngs total $3.50, 900, 900, a gain over last
week of about 4 per cent, and over the
like total one year ago, when clearingz
got down to about low water mark, the
increase is 20 per cent. But compared
with the total in the like week two
years ago, this weeks aggregate clear
ings show a decrease of Is per cent. II
business movement that every city's
clearings total for the week is larger
than a year ago except one. Gains in
clearings at whiskey markets. Louis
vile, Cincinnati, Paris and Lexington,
have naturally been expanded extraor-
dinarily. The greatest apparent increase
is at ST. Louis, Baltimore, Chicago, st.
Paul. Minneapolis and San Francisco,
At larger eastern cities there is evil
dence OF an increased confidence that
mented demand in nearly all staple
lines, but Baltimore is the only city in
this group announcing a decided i'm
provement, southern buyers having placed
good orders there for dry goods, notions,
millinery and shoes. Slight gains are re-
ported only in petroleum and shoes at
footwear and in the securities market
at Boston. Sales of wool at the latter
point lave fallen off sharply, and wool
importers and dealers having the raw
product in store in bond find transac-
lions checked because of doubt whether
it will be admitted free or not under
Eastern States in the cotton goods
market may hardly be regarded as an
evidence of relation of demand to up
ply, it being based on the K and
or PittSburg find trade features to re-
port other than that merchants antici-
pate a revival of demand nj the fall.
Iron and steel prices in western Penn
sylvania nave tended downward within
a week, production having grown stead
lily in advance of demand.
From r. G. Dun d Co.'S ssWeekly Reuie'o'.
Changes during the past week have
not been definit nor very important
As the Presidents final decision regard
ing the new tariff is assumed but not
yet certainly known, part of the hest
tation which appears may be attributed
to the lingering uncertainty which must
soon terminate. Other conditions, if
not entirely favorable. nave at least
not changed for the worse during the
past week. The injury to corn is less
thar many .apprehended; but is still be-
lieyed to have reduced the yield about
800 O00. 900 bushels. The strike of coke
workers and coal miners has ended, and
while the lockout of cotton operatives Is
important, it affects the earnings and
livelihood of a much smaller number.
The business so long delayed by tariff
uncertainties begins to come forward,
SO that transactions in many departments
are larger than of late, and on the
whole larger than at The time of especial
s~tagnation last year., but it is still too
soon to determine how far the satisfacT
ton of postponed demands will set idle
hands at work. or raise transactions
toward the normal volume But it is
a healthy sign that the gain thus far
is gradual, and not spaSmodic or Mighty
in appearance.
In all the great industries some in
crease in demand for products has ap-
peared. and the boot and shoe trade
shipments from the East not only eX-
coed last years largely, but surpass
those in August of previous years. Econ
omy appears here in purchases of cheap
err qualities rather than in purchases of
fewer pairs or cases, and the demand is
largely for speedy delivery, rejecting
manufacture, which has been employ
ing a larger proportion of it's normal
force than most others, and accumulat-
ing goods greatly in demand of current
strike at Fall River and New Bedford to
resist a proposed reduction of wages,
and the mills have been closed with
the apparent expectation that the diff
Guilty will last some weeks. A some
what increased demand for goods has
appeared, but perhaps not yet as great
as many have anticipated.
In the iron and steel manufacture the
demand for finished products increases,
but Is at present not as large as the ca.
pacity of the works which have endeay-
competition results in prices nearly as
low as v been reached at any time.
at Philadelphia, though finished products
there are weaker. while at Pittsburg
and Cleveland there is more buying, but
at Chicago considerably less of late. Sew
eral more furnaces nav gon into opera
ton, Notwithstanding the scarcity of
water supply at Connellsville, and cense-
quentiy of coke, and prices of pig iron
are not further depressed. A moderate
increase is seen in the woellen mills IN
operation, and agents who have offer
ed spring goods, generally at a reduc-
years prices, have taken orders for con-
siderable quantities, but there is still
great uncertainty about the extent and
effect of foreign competition In many
important classes, particularly of the
better grades of goods, and as this must
continue for months. the adjustment to
new cOndltlOnS must De gradual
About 1000 million bushels is now the
more common estimate of the yield of
corn. which will leave nothing for ex-
port, and, falling below a full supply
for feeding, will materially affect prices
of meats for the coming year. Wheats
has been stronger in spite of such favor
able reports that "a yield of 800 million
bushels or more is now commonly X
pected. Receipts at the West for the
week were 4,964, 22S bushels against g.
724. 24O last year, and Atlantic exports
only 1.437, Abs bushels against loss, 427 last
year. Hog products are only a shade
on account of curtailment of consump-
tion by the strikes, but recovered. Ac-
counts from the South continue to pro-
mise a yield considerably larger than
Money markets continue to reflect a
legitimate increase of commercial de-
nand. which comes mainly from dry
Goods commission houses, but it is noted
that although the last week of August
is at hand, the requirements from the
West and South for crop moving pur-
poses are byno means of ordinary mag
,1itude. Foreign exchanges have been a
shade stronger, though domestic exports
of products from New York have been
for three weeks $1,477,0 00 of 6 per cent.
iessthan last year, the decrease in i'm
norts having been only 100000 in the
same weeks. Foreign capital appears to
he doing scarcely anything at present
in America securities, and the advance
Of 100 per share in railroad stocks and
al. 40 In Trusts this week has been due
10 speculative operations on the floor.
4 q +ner cent. larger than last year, but
tSoinar eent smaller than in 1892, al