Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-14
BRADSTREET'S REPORT
Says That There Are indications
Of Business Improvement
South and Southwest Are Especially FAVORED
Situation in Other Sections.

tets from which supplies are distributed
to these regions,
Relatively. the unfavorabie features are
fonnd in a ouieter tone in dry goods Jop-
hing circles, check to seasonable traoe
throughout the central West, due TO Tue
nnusnaI heat. low prices for mems wear
won,cns. and an unsatisfactory outiooh
due 10 depressed quotations abroad, ana
only mode rate orders for domestlo "ooien
manufactures.
The cancellation of few Nebraska gen.
er1 merchandise orders at Chicago anu
the somewhat critical position OF tne
American tin plate industry, owing 10
the heavy advance in the piece OF tlh piaIe
h,rs Is without a corresponding increase
In the price of tin plate.
The most bullish report comes from ot.
I,oris. where there are many country buy-
ers and all lines of staple merchandise are
active. with the railroads waiting 1or pur-
cbasers and the manufacturing Industries
messed to keep up with the requirements.
Kansas City. too, also distributor to
the West and Southwest, reports unusually
nrompt mercantile collections and rela-
lively enormous orders placed with the
wholesalers for shoes, dry goods and hard
ware.
at the South, fall trade is opening up
more freely than was anticipated, with Il
marked improvement in business and an
increased confidence as the outlook at
jacksonville Atlanta and Augusta.
The improvement in iron has had an
influence at Birmingham and throughout
the tributary region, an evidence OF which
Is found in the temporary lnaDlllty OF
Birmingham wholesalers to meet the de-
mand for hardware and groceries.
Aside from the firmness of cotton goods
prices, which is feature in trade circles
North and East, the most conspicuous
movement is the continued activity in iron
and steel, the highest quotations yet
reached having no effect in restricting the
demand. The present rate of production
of pig iron exceeds 10000 tons weekly, the
largest in our history, at the rate of more
than TO- 900, 600 tons year.
The Lake cities report an improved de-
mand for general merchandise stronger
lake freights, and the request for towage
active. At Chicago relatively more orders
are received from the South and South
west than ever before.
The revised estimates from Texas point
to only half cotton crop, but trade is &C
tive and outlook favorable.
The louisiana sugar crop is reported
from 10 too 20 per cent smaller than that
of last year.
The gross railway earnings of II rail
roads for August aggregate s43, 119, 642, a
gain of 1.6 per cent. over August OF a
year ago, when there was Il gain of nearly
per cent. over August, 1898.
Good gains are shown by the Eastern
granger and trunk lines in the order
named. The coal roads show the only i'm
portant decrease although the earnings Of
Central, Western, Southern and South
western roads show falling off from Au-
gust of last year.
OF the 116 systems, embracing 1877
roads, II show gains and Is losses, com
pared with August of last year. For eight
months the total earnings of 122 roads
aggregate S302, 062, 1928, an increase over
last year of AZ per cent when there was
falling off of l 4 per cent from 1898
The decreases for eight months ara
shown by the grangcrs and Long Island
Road, but in each case falling off only II
fraction of per cent, while the Central,
Western and coal roads, mostly bitnmenGEs
carriers, show the largest gains.
The gradual increase in bank clearingS
during the past few weeks brings the ag-
gregate nearly to the billion. dollar mark
| again, 1898, 900, 600, or about II per cent.
more than last week, IS per cent. more
than in the corresponding week of one
year ago and 25 per cent more than in the
second week of Sept. 1898. But as con
pared with the corresponding week in
| 1892, the falling off is 8 per cent, and rs
contrast5d with the like week Of 1891, the
decrease is IS per cent
The tendency to reaction in prices, par
ticularly among food staples, continues,
with further liquidation in wheat, Indian
corn pork, lara and sugar.
Reactions alc reported in she prices for
cotton aud hides. On the ether hand, higher
coal prices have appe ,red at New York
and Philadelphia, and the prospect Is for
| further advances all along the lime.
In addition TO higher quotations for
cotton, the prices of almost all the standard
varieties of cotton goods are higher and
| tend upward. Then there is the 81 ad-
vance il steel rails the latter now being
on parity with quotations for billets.
The total of business failures through
out the United States, this week, number
213. as compared with 223 in the second
week of September. 1894
Exports of wheat from the United States
and Canada both coasts, Qlour included as
wheat), amount to only /, $40, 900 bushels
this week, compared with 1890, 00C
bushels, last week, 2, 7s9, 600 bushels in the
corresponding week of q year ago, and 5,
537, 600 bushels in tho second week of
September, 1898.
This weeks total exports are LITTLE
more than one half the corresponding
shipments of three years ago, and about
one quarter the exports in the like weel
of 1891. The Washington wheat crop q.
reported from Seattle, will turn out bet
ter than earlier estimated.
The advices from Oregon and California
are that continued rains have damaged
the hops and wine and table grapes.
There are reported % failures from the
Canadian Dominion, this week, against
80 in the week IF a year ago.
Street Commissioner Isaac S. Burrill OF
Boston, died, Friday.
| IThoro oro