Birmingham age-herald., 1894-09-29
WEEKLY TRADE REVIEW. Only a Moderate Reaction Noted
 for the Week. WHOLESALE TRADE SLACK And Iron Continues off-The South Effected by the
 Storm-Failures.
WHOLESALE TRADE SLACK

u
 NEW YORK, Sept. 2S.-Bradstreet's to- morrow will say: The feature of general trade throughout the country is found in moderate reactions within the week, particularly in the volume of purchases of staples in the west, where trade has been quite active, and at eastern points in the course of prices, the week failing to show any upward movement of note in this line, and in the check to business south, to- gether with damage to the rice and orange crops.
 Less satisfactory reports come from some of the more important distributing points south, owing to the effect of the storm. Augusta reports the outlook not so bright and refers to the low price of cotton and it's effect upon the purchasing power of pro- ducers. General business has been unset tied also at Savannah and at Jacksonville, and the rice and orange crops have sui fered. There has been no material gam ln business at New Orleans, importation of fruits and receipts of bulk grain for export being light. There has been fair basi- ness in hardware at Chattanooga, but other lines report less activity. Nashville says iron pipe mills are unable to keep up with orders, but pig iron in that market Is quieter. Business is practically unchanged at Charleston, Memphis and Birmingham.
 DUN'S REVIEW.
 NEW YORK, Sept. 2S.-R. c. Dun & Co., weekly review of trade tomorrow will say: Retail trade, the last step in the movement from producer to consumer, is at the same time the first step upon which depends empty shelves in the stores and future or-- ders to the mills. After months of un natural economy buying should be large' enough to send the mills further orders very soon.
 Special inquiry has been made this week at all commercial centers regarding the state of retail trade. Wide diversity ap- pears in different trades, and the details of business at the different cities merits gen. erai attention. The main facts disclosed are: First, marked improvement within ihe past month and considerable excess over the business done year ago, particu- larly in the necessarieS of life. But, geo. ond, it appears that the volume Of trade at present is on the whole considerably less than in normal year at almost all points, and in tue demand is apparently about N per cent smaller than in September, 1892.
 Evidence of continued improvement in wholesale trade and manufacture does not appear this week. There is large distribu- ton on orders given some time ago, but new business going to the manufacturers is everywhere stacking. The completion of orders for replenishment of stocks leaves narrower demand, and it is yet too early for consumption to provide further or QerS. The VOlume Oi DuSluesS TepoEtcu Oy ciearings a the chief cities is 6 9 per cent larger than last year, but 21. per cent less than in 1892, and for the month of Septem- Der the daily average has been $l34 ,OO0 ,O00, against $123, GOO. .000 last year before re- coyery rom the panic had come and S177, ,0OO, ,OOO in 1892. As these include pay ments resulting from trade deferred during most of the uncertainty, the comparison is but moderately encouraging.
 The depression in the prices of farm Afox AaxvA off IIlr, dented records have been made in cotton and wheat, though as to wheat only in con- tracts for future delivery, in which the prices are the lowest ever made.
 Cotton on the spot is lower at 6.44 cents than at any other time since 1849, and quo- tations then did not mean what they do now, while the nearest option has been quoted at GOA cents, which is below all previous records. Even at the close the 1all for the week is A of a cent.
 The iron industry shows shrinkage of demand, and the prices quoted today are : but little above the lowest this year. Bes- semer pig is weaker at Ell at Pittsburg, with an impression that excess of produc- tion must cause further decline unless lower prices are made for steel rails. Bill. lets, structural forms and nails are shade weaker, and in eastern markets compet- tion of works to get business tends to de- stroy profits. There is more business at the west and Chicago reports good de-
 
 for coke pig, though plates and boiler tubes are weaker.
 Textile man uacturers feel the shrinkage of the demand due to replenishment of stocks, and there is less doing in cotton and woolen goods at first hands. The edis. tribution by jobbers on previous orders is large and stocks are still being reduced by purchases, but the trade now depends in all branches upon the supplemental orders expected. In cottons recent advances in price are maintained, but buying is notice- ably less active.
 Imports at New York for four weeks have been 13 per cent larger, but domestic ex- ports 20 per cent smaller than last year.
 Failures are few and small for three weeks, liabilities amounting to $5 ,526, ,585, of which S2 1882, ,3l3 were of manufacturing and g ,576 ,112 of trading concerns.
 The failures during the week have been 235 in the United States, against s3i last year, aud fifty five in Canada, against thirty-three last year.
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