The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-09-14
BRADSTREET'S REPORT.
Unexpected Improvement is Shown
in South and West.
THE PRODUCTION OF PIG IRON IS
THE LARGEST IN HISTORY.
A Reaction Noticed in the Prices of Food
StapIes-Coal Is On the Advance-East-
ern Railways Show Increased Earnings

ern Railways Show Increased Earnings
New York, September 13.-Bradstreet' S
will say tomorrow: The week is charact-
erized in trade circles by an unexpected,
south and west. This is reflected at
markets from which supplies are dis
tributed to these regions. Relatively,
unfayorable features are found in quieter
tone in dry goods jobbing circles, check
to seasonable trade throughout the CEN
tral west, due to the unusual heat low
prices for mems wear, woolens and an
unsatisfactory outlook due to depressed
quotations abroad, only moderate orders
for domestic woolen manufactures, the
cancellation of few Nebraska general
merchandise orders at Chicago. and the
somewhat critical position of the Ameri-
can tin plate industry, owing to the heavy
advance in the price of tin plate bars,
without a corresponding increase in the
price of tin plate.
The most bullish report comes from
ST. Louis where there arc many country
Uuy2rS, duu ttll llllOo VI coeSPAO AAASASAA<iA
disc are active with the railroads max
ing free purchases and the manufacture
ing industries pressed to keep up with
requirements. Kansas City, too, also
distributor to the west and southwest,
reports unusually prompt mercantile CO.
lections and relatively enormous orders
placed with the wholesalers for shoes,
dry goods and hardware. At the south,
fall trade is opening up more freely than
anticipated, with marked improvement
in business and increased confidence as
to 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 inability OF
demand for hardware and groceries,
Aside from the frmness of cotton goods
prices, which is a feature in trade cir
cles north and east, the most conspicuous
movement is that continued activity in
iron and steel, the highest quotations
vet reached having no effect in restricting
the demand. The present rate of pro-
duction of pig iron exceeds 200, 600 tons
weekly, the largest in our history, and
at the rate of more than 10, 900, 600 tons
per annum. Lake cities report an i'm
proved demand for general merchandise,
and stronger lake frefghts and a request
for tonnage is active. At Chicago rela-
lively more orders are received from the
south and southwest than ever before.
..ONLY HALF A COTTON CROP.
Revised estimates from Texas point
to only half cotton crop, but trade is
active and the outlook favorable because
of a greater relative increase in the
price of cotton than the reduction
turn, The Louisiana sugar crop Is re-
ported from Is per cent to 20 per cent
Smaller than that of last year.
RAILWAY RECEIPTS
The gross earnings of II railroads for
August aggregate s43, 1892, a gain
of 1.6 per cent over August year ago.
when there was gain of nearly per
cent over August, 1888 Good gains
are shown by the eastern, granger and
trunk lines in order named. The coal
roads show the onlyHimportant decrease.
Although the earnings of the central,
western, southern and southwestern
roads, show falling off from August of
last year. OF the 116 systems, embracing
1877 roads, n show gains and 45 losses,
compared with August OF. last year. For
eight months the total earnings of 1872
roads aggregate $302, O62, 72S, an increase
over last year of AZ per. cent, when there
was falling off of IA per cent from 1893
Decreases for eight months are shown
by the grangers and long inland roads.
But in each case the falling off is only
fraction of per cent, while the central,