The record-union., 1894-04-14
for twenty four hours. The loss is now
estimated at SS00,00
TRADE AND FINANCE.
Business Improvements Meet Many
Obstacles.

Business improvements Meet Many
Obstacles.
New YORK, April 13.-R. G. Dun's
weekly review oftrade will say tomorrow:
Business improvements meet many OBJ
stacles, and is scarcely as distinct as it has
been in recent weeks. Strikes have
checked the improvement in building
and some other trades, and the scarcity of
coke has caused the close of some mills,
while strike of all bituminous coal
miners is ordered, and may prove
serious.
More favorable crop reports then were
expected, which justify larger hopes for
next fall, have arrested the upward
tendency in prices of products. The re-
newal of gold exports occasions some dis
quietude but the gradual exhaustion of
gold in the hands of dealers made the
consumption of the people more distinctly
felt and apparently larger, and this de-
mand increases with gain in the number
of hands at work. 1t cannot be said that
the uncertainty as to the future has ma
terially diminished, but there is evidently
growing impression that there will be
no important legislation on the currency
or tariff. This impression, whether
erroneous or not. influences the action of
many. On the whole, though, progress
is still obstructed by uncertainty. The
most cheering sign is the decrease in inn
portance of the commercial failures, for
though one mortgage loan concern has
failed with liabilities of S6,500,000, the
liabilities in all commercial failures for
the first week Of April are only 1900, ,096,
of which $500, ,5S7 were of manufacturing
and 81. .22S,24 of trading concerns. The
failures this week have been 2lS in the
United States, against $50 last year, and
81 in Canada, against Y last year.
GOLD SHIPMENTS.
NEW YORK, April 13.-When to-mor-
rows European steamers shall have de-
parted some four million dollars in gold
will have been shipped during the
week, of which all but S750,000 from Bos-
ton is exported from this city. The sub
treasury supplied $4,000 of the amount
shipped from here, the banks furnishing
the rest. The shipments are heavy by
reason of the fact that bills of exchange
are scarce, and gold is sent forward to
meet the requirements.
The gold shipments had slightly de-
pressing influence on the Stock Exchange
during the earlier part of the day, but at
no time caused any great pressure to sell,
and in the later dealings was not factor
in the speculation, which was very strong
during the last hour of business.
1t is not expected that the gold ship
ments will reach serious proportions. as
the exchange market does not warrant it,
the margin of profit being slight. and.
besides the London gold reserve is at a
high point, and the Continent is now Of
fering special inducements for the yellow
metal. Therefore, neither in speculative,
nor in other financial or business circles,
is the weeks outflow of gold regarded
with apprehension. The share market
opened firm and made a fractional ad-
vance, but from lack OF buyers prices
sagged off slightly, the heaviness being
increased somewhat by the reported
specie payment, which encouraged the
bears to demonstration against values.
Offerings to inaugurate a downward
movement met with no success, the
speculation becoming stagnant with
American tobacco and some few of the
other specialties. No changes of import
ance took place until shortly before the
beginning of the last hour of business.