The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-01-13
BUSINESS IS Improving.
Considerable Increase Noted
in Business Circles.
DOUBT OF WILSON BILLS PASSAGE
Has Tended TO Restore Confidence,
for There is General Feeling
That IL Cannot Pass I'm Its Present
Form.

New YORK, Jan. 13-R. q. Dun u Go. 3
Weekly Review of Trade says: Business
has distinctly improved since the new year
came in and the gain is no longer visible
only In speculative markets. II is the
only kind of Improvement that has in IL
the possibilities Of lasting, because 1t Is
based upon actual increase in the produc-
tion by industries.
As all rejoice TO see It, there Is perhaps
a little disposition to reckon the gain
greater than it is as yet, but several large
establishments have started with part
force, hoping to increase, and more smaller
works have started than have stopped.
Orders from dealers whose stocks APP
proach exhaustion form prominent
cause: another Is the widely prevalent
impression that action at Washington
will be more satisfactory than many have
expected; and belief that in any case
the situation will not be changed until
goods now in the works can be marketed
has weight in some trades. Whatever
the causes, even a moderate gain is most
cheering.
The Metal Market.
The output of pig iron Jan. is reckoned
by The Iron Age as 99,0S7 tons weekly,
which is slightly less than December.
though the Pittsburg authority makes it
little larger. In either case il is from Al
TO 43 per cent less than a year ago, and
stocks of unsold pig increased l9,457 tons
in December, though they decreased as
much in November Several more fur
naces begin production this month, and
prices show no recovery. Indeed, the
Low Moor works of Virginia have reduced
the price of No. | foundry TO $l3 ton,
and finished products are weaker, steel
billets and bars again making the lowest
price on record, though the tone is more
hopeful, both here and at the west, with n
little more business. Copper, tin and
lead are weaker.
Wool. Cotton. Boots and shoes.
Sales of wool for the week are 2,ss6,9oo
pounds at the three chief markets,
against 6. sos, 500 last year. but there is
more inquiry from worsted and carpet
manufacturers, some having started ma
chinery. Overcoatings are 10 10 Is per
cent lower than year ago. but the de-
liveries of dress goods are larger than of
late and the demand Is more urgent:
In cotton goods there is no definite
change. Cotton has been lifted by specu-
lation three-sixteenths, though the de-
In sight here and abroad are big enough
TO meet nearly half years consumption
Shipments of boots and shoes for the
week were nearly quarter smaller than
a year ago, but there ia growing conf
dence that the business must soon in.
crease.
Corn and Wheat.
Wheat is shade weaker, though west
ern receipts are 10000 bushels for the
week, against 3,93s, 900 a year ago. At
lantic exports are only $4,000 bushels,
against I, ,4ss, 600 last year. Stocks in sight
decrease but little, and government crop
estimates get little attention. Corn is
naturally weaker, with large receipts.
though exports are 90 per cent larger than
year ago.
The Decrease In Sales.
Returns of sales published last week at
tract great interest as a more definite
measure of the condition of various
branches of business than has been OBJ
tanned through other sources. Additional
returns, IS in number In iron manufactur
ing, 3 in cotton, 3 i'm wooden, and large
grocery concerns, which show an increase,
while other branches show a decrease,
make the aggregate Of sales by 1l4s con.
Germs s2l9, 759. $50 in the last half OF 1893.
against 1915, ,299, 346 in the last half of 1892
decrease. 1913 per cent.
Failures for the past week have been
474 in the United States against 2s6 last
year, and 81 in Canada against 90 last
year. A few of some Importance are else
where noted. The liabilities OF all firms
for the week ending Jan. 4were S5,612, ,544.