Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-28
THE BUSINESS SITUATION.
1t Is Less Favorable Depressing Effect
of the Strike.

vi SbihVs
NEW YORK. April 2I.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say: The general business
situation throughout the United States
Is less favorable, as shown by reports
from more than nifty important distribu-
ting centres. specially depressing IN
nuence Is the strike of 1900 bituminous
coal and coke operatives In twelve states.
The accumulated stocks OF bituminous are
about an average for the season. but th-y
are not likely to last beyond the middle
OF May. Already the record OF furnaces
banking fires. factories closing doors. lake
vessels lying up, and mills throuShout
the central and central-western states
shutting Gown in consequence OF lack
or prospective lack OF fuel. Is attracting
attention. This, apparently the largest
single Industrial strike taking place IN
this country, Is reported TO have been
caused by the efforts Of the operators 10
raise prices by repeated cutting OF the
miners wages. Complaining the situd-
ton is the effort OF about thirty mines u
supply the demand for coal. their opera
tives being unwilling TO strike. Inc to'ai
number of Industrial and other employees
on strike now. with those idle by reason
Of strikes. is O000o. of whom nearly 20 per
cent. are coal miners and coke operatives.
kindred industries, 5000 among buiidihS
trades, and 500 railroad employees.
Only two cities Of thirty-five reporting
I'm central, western, ana northWesleIh
States report material Improvement III
general trade this week-lndianapois ana
Kansas City-and even at these points
the gain Is slight. In the South the pusi-
ness situation Is marked by quiet, even
dulness, an exception being noted In
In
New Orleans. Drought In the vegetable
region near Jacksonville has checked ship
ments and affected the local money mar
ket Atlanta furniture-factories have
shut down for six weeks. and other IN
rustrial establishments are working on
short time.
II. G.. Dun & Co.'S weekly review OF
trade tomorrow will say: When accounts
OF great strikes and labor disturbances
crowd all the newspapers, II IL idle 10 look
for much improvement in business. The
bituminous-coal miners quit work last
Saturday In larger numbers than was ex-
pected. and the coke-workers at once re-
ncwed with greater unanimity the strug-
gle recently unsuccessful. While these
great bodies Of men, besides the thou
sends who were on strike I'm the build
ing trades, I'm silk, woollen, and cotton
mills, In Alabama iron-works. and on
western railroads, are refusing to work.
there are other thousands marching to
Washington. who claim that they seek
work In vain. Both classes are engaged
IN making business worse. because II
was bad already That every week OF
ideness for so many men must appre-
ciably lessen the aggregate power TO pur-
chase of labor is evident. but. in spite of
all, some Improvement still appears. The
iron and steel-works In regions where
bltumnous coal or coke Is used as fuel
may be seriously interrupted II the strug-
gle Is much prolonged, but the immediate
effect IS 10 give a better look TO prices
OF some products I'm those regions, while
eastern works feel a somewhat larger
demand. Southern frelghts to New York
being 80 ceIts lower. pig-iron from Ala
bama Is offered at sll.50. and rails of
light sections are sold. it is stated, below
$50 nj the mill. while at Chicago business
halts, and bar iron is down to 1 cent,
though plates and beams are slightly
stronger. Barbed wire at Pittsburg is
quoted at $40, and wire rods at $3.50,
though billet and Bessemer iron is
stronger. Philadelphia notes increased de-
mand in that region, about two thirds OF
the working force being employed.
Payments through all clearing houses
were 20.i per cent. smaller than a year
ago. and outside OF New York 1873 per
cent smaller, but the prices of COM
modities now averaging nearly II per cent.
lower than "A year ago. account for over
half Of the change The volume OF for
eign trade does not materially alter. ex-
ports hence for the month being 10 per
cent. larger than last year, while the i'm
ports at New York have been AZ per cent.
smaller. The decline In customs receipts
indicating the decrease in dutiable i'm
ports, is - per cent.
No enlargement OF commercial loans APP
pears and money continues 10 accumulate
here, though in smaller amount this week
This state Of facts clearly indicates the
general depression Of trade and indus
tries, but domestic exchanges have so
far changed that an abatement Of the
flow OF money hither Is expected. Only
81 10000 i'm gold goes out this week, at
present accounts. and there are no indi-
cations of important foreign operations
during the week In American securities.
exchange is being drawn on
account of Americans about To visit E,u-
rope as usual at this season. The de-
crease in liabilities OF firms failing still
and the aggregate reported for
the third week in April was only S2,792,-
S52. and for the three weeks OF April,
81. 9Ss5SS. of which s2.si0,lsi was OF manu-
featuring and S3.Sn.c9j Of trading con-
Germs. The failures have been very
equally divided as 10 sections. the East
having the larger number. with liabilities
OF S2.277000: the South S2.572 900. and the
West S2lSS.000. The failures this week
have been $50 i'm the United States, against
PIG last year, for the first time in many
months Slowing q decrease, and in Cam
ada %. against - last year. The list in
cludes none OF great importance.