The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-01-05
FNANCE and TRADE
Tho Decrease IN Failures n the
United States in 1894.
THE DEoREAsE IN ooMMoDITIEs.

Prfcss nt the Lowest Lavel Ever kuown
in the alstsry Of the Nation--vsry Small
stociks Of Gesds In the Hands ef Jobbers
and Manufaetursrs.
NEW YoKK, Jan. B.--R. G.. Dun & Co.'S
weekly review OF trade says: Failures for
1894 arc fully reported this week, being
ls,ss5 In the United States and 1855 IN tho
Dominion Of Canada Liabilities In the
United States were sI7a ,Jas, ,s56, and In
Canada si7, 7,6i6,215 Neither the decrease
OF over half In this country, nor the In
crease of over 40 per cent. in Canada 10
surprising but the statement shows that
most Of the decrease In the United States
Is In manufacturing liabilities, while the
entire Increase In Canada is in liabilities
of trading concerns. A few states. tnclud-
ing New York sShd Pennsylyania, show
more failures than In 1893, and In few
southern states the amount Of liabiliticsfs
larger, but In central and western states
very much smaller.
In eleven Of the last thirts @t'cat years
reported liabilities have beefis xcr than
In 1894, though for 1888 and 1894 the state
mert Is confined to commercial failures,
as 1t was not in former years. The fall
ures have been IL. Is in every thousand firms
doing bnsiness the liabilities have aver
ukto Eto@.ft W CIVIL Itiil lftht4Ns t&t'A ~
proportion to the volume OF solvent busi-
ness represented by all clearing house ex-
changes S2.G3 for every 81 900.
The complete review of different branches
Of business places in q clear light the fact
that prices Of commodities are at the low
est lsvel ever known. Eight years ago in
July, prices averaged only 1850 per cent
OF the prices for the same articles and in
the same markets Jan. l. 1850, and this
remained the lowest point ever touched
until Aug. 10, 1898. when the average fell
to 1916. but early In 1894 prices dropped
below all previous records, and have never
recovered, the average on Dec. 20 being
only 6S-73 per cent. OF the prices In 1869.
The range was very little higher at the
end OF the year, and about as low Oct. 25.
The fall since yoar ago has been " per
cent, but very unequal in different
branches. These changes contrast sharply
with the decline of wages paid per hours
work, which average only l.2 per cent. less
than year ago.
Bradstrects' weekly review Of trade
says There has been no material improve
nent in general trade within week
Jobbers and other wholesalers are sending
out, or are about 60 ssnd out, commercial
travellers, and In many instances have not
finished tho years accounts and stock TAX
ing. A ta5uiation OF telegraphed reports
from the mDre imoortalp trade centers
doos not reveal specially hopeful views as
| to an improvements in business in the near
( future. In many instances trale revival
is declared to depsnd on u settlement Of
| the currency question.
1 The most encouraging expressions Of
opinion nre that merchants are hopeful
! Among more favorable conditions are re-
ports that stocks Of goods Of all descrip-
tions in the hands of jobbers, rnanufact-
urers and retailers, west and northwest,
| are generally smaller than usual at this
/ season, that the business of the year In
dry goods, hats. shoes, millinery and gro
ceries has been fairly satisfactory, aud that
cold weather has stimulated demand for
coal and seasonable fabrics.