Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-11-30
A DULL WEEK.
Thanksgiving Week Was Even DuIIer
Than Usually Expected.
Cold Weather and Storms Also Contributed to
This End.

New York, Nov. 29.-Bradstreets to-
morrow, will say: The volume of general
trade shows falling off, compared with
the preceding week, largely owing TO the
Intervention OF the Thanksgiving holiday,
IN part, to tho continued effect of the
mild weather in the East and South, storms
In the Central and Western states and
the usual disinclination of buyers to add
to their stocks during the closing month
Of the year.
Navigation is practically closed on the
great lakes, the canals, and at Montreal
Western jobbers report an activity notice
able in clothing, WOODEN goods, rubbers,
shoes, holiday specialties, and some in
creased demand for coal and light hard
ware.
The general trade remains unchanged
in the South, with mercantile collections in
some Instances improving the tendency of
cotton to move slowly, and movement of
merchandise smaller than in October
Texas merchants report a fair movement
of notions and fancy goods, but a check
to the distribution of groceries and dry
goods. r
On the Pacific coast smaller volume
With shipments East of wheat. which
strengthens the local grain market Con-
siderable merchandise continues to go to
Alaska, from Seattle, while at Portland
complaints are made that the passenger
rate war between that city and San
francisco threatens to hurt local trade.
The most striking industrial feature is
the continued reaction in the prices of iron
and steel, bessemer pig being off 20 cents,
SIT ell billets fraotionally lower, and the re-
actions in the prices for wire, sheets and
other forms. There is little likelihood of
an increased demand or reversal of the
price movement prior to the middle of
January. There is an improved demand
for boots and shoes at Baltimore, Chicago
and St. Louis, as well as some New Eng
land manufacturing centers, but at Phila-
delphia the demand Is not so conspicuous
as previously.
The restriction of production by several
tanneries tends to weaken the price of
hides. Dry goods are quieter with the
continued unseasonably mild weather and
the revival of holiday trade. The strength
of cotton maintains the price Of cotton
goods. Higher prices for wool at London
dress woolens report new orders for spring
delivery. Some New England wooden
mills have contracted for all they care to
sell at present.
The general tendency of prices of staples
continues in line with that shown in the
two or three preceding weeks; clear ma
jority of those usually quoted showing
decreases compared with the week before,
notably the various forms of steel and
iron, including wire; hides, live stock
wheat flour, Indian corD, oats, pork, lard,
coffee petroleum and print cloths.
Practically unchanged quotations are
announced for lumber coal, leather, naval
stores, leaf tobacco, sugar and wool. The
most conspicuous advances appear to be
confined to wheat, is cent per bushel, cot
ton, Is cent per pound, and some of the
cheaper grades of paper stock fractionally.
The exports of wheat, flour included as
wheat, from both coasts of the United
States and Montreal, were 2,460 600
bushels, compared with 2, 667, 900 in the
week, Il year ago.
The bank clearings throughout the
United States were $3.50, 900, 600, this week,
and reflect rather more than the customary
falling off incidental to Thank giving
week, and decrease compared with the
preceding week of 23 per. cent, Compared
with the total for the week, a year ago, the
gain was only s per cent and compared
with the week in 1898. an increase of only
10 per cent Compared with the weeks
total of three years ago, the decline was 81
per cent.
Two hundred and eighty eight failures
were reported throughout the United
States, this week, compared with 1907,
year ago.