The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-16
TIE STATE OF BUSINESS.
indications are More Fayorable-.rhe Con-
ditions in the south.

NEW YORK, March l5.-R. G. Dun 4
Co.'S weekly review of trade tomorrow
will say:
Substantially all indications of the state
Oh business are rather more favorable.
farm products are a little higher. rail-
road carr ings a shade better clearing
house exchanges . small per centagc
larger IN comparison with two years ago
lhah IN FEBRUARY, and most OF the in
dAstfles show somewhat better front.
thohGh their gain is not large Money
markets continue undisturbed, the opera.
tions OF the syndicate still prevent or
der ports from gold and Withdrawals
from the Treasury have OF late practical.
~ ceased.
There Is not much enthusiasm about
the situation, however, because the gain
is slow and business Is yet a long way
from what was once considered pros.
porous condition. Further. the gain is i'm
some cases due to obviously temporary
causes. and In some TO causes which do
not indicate prosperity.
The volume of payments through clear.
ing houses for the weak is 81 per cent.
larger than last year, but 26.9 per cent.
less than I'm 1898.
Imports are just now running a little
smaller than In February while domestic
exports for two weeks from New York
show a decrease compared with last
year Of II per cent. Money is in better
demand. The market hardens. as usual
before April lst. and much more CONNER
cial paper is offered. though partly to
meet large maturities this month. The
West ia drawing from its balances here
and there have been considerable sales
OF stocks on foreign account. but not
enough to disturb an exchange. Market
otherwise stagnant.
The output Of pig iron March lst was
l56,S9 tons, decrease since February
lst OF 6,4l2 tons weekly. and the increase
OF unsold stocks was 800 tons in Febru.
ary, or 1925 weekly.
Since January lst the weekly OUTPUT
has decreased II, ABS tons. and the aecu-
mutation of unSOld stocks has been 49,
sis tons.
Prices do not rise. and except at Chi.
cago, there seems to be no general in
crease of demand. There Improvement is
Observed in nearly all parts of the indus
try particularly in materials for agricul.
tural implement works. and at pittsburg
the demand for structural forms contin-
ues large. But for the great number of
new buildings that are climbing toward
the sky all over the country. the condi-
ton OF the industry would be much less
favorable. Bessemer pig is weaker at
Pltsburg, and while the demand for bar
improves, 1t falls short of the supply.
Sheets are active, and also wire rods,
without change i'm price. At Philadelphia
prices are not irmer nor is the demand
larger, and reports OF coming advance In
coke and ore do not stimulate buying.
Liabilities thus far reported In failures
for the first week of March amount to
nfftgF 10
in manufactures, $S5, 1896, against ST.. SO
last year, and in trading. 1897 $50. against
81 l'2oi,S5S last year. The final returns for
February make the aggregate Sll4l4sSl
against N7S94,670 last year.
Failures for the week have been 266 I'm
the United States, against 264 last year
and % in Canada, against 30 last year.
Conditions of Southern Trade.
NEW YORK, March Is. .-Bradstreet's
tomorrow will say:
There are fewer men and favorable
trade features his week than unfayorable
ones, but in most instances they OUT
weigh the latter, which point 20 con-
tinuance Of small volume of business
and quiet demand. Unfavordble weather.
which has served TO check demand 80
many weeks, continues TO make itself
felt South and in many rarts of the |
West The coal miners strike and labor |
liliiculties at New Orleans have served |
10 cut into business at points dependent |
upon those centres of disturbance. Not |
he least unfavorable influence In staple |
ines has been that OF bad roads, the |
fleet of which Is plain from Nova Scotia
% Texas.
In addition 10 Increased competition
lere by Australian wools, demand for |
'aw staple has 'allen Off and word Is re-
,eiyed that American dress goods manu-
acturers are using considerable Austria
ian mixed with the American staple. |
Tne dry goods trade continues depressed, |
production being in excess Of demand, |
otton goods being moved generally only |
II concessions.
In the South. Atlanta. New Orleans |
md Galveston alone report evidences of |
,ain, modified at the first point by rain |
nd at the second by labor troubles. The |
phosphate market Is more active at |
'harleston, that for drugs at Chatta-
looga, and for naval stores at Savannah. |