The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-03-30
The Third Consecutive Week of
Marked improvement.
PROSPECTS OF A POOR WHEAT
CROP PUTS PRICES UP.
And Scarcity of Cattle Causes an Ad-
vance in the Price of Leather-Wool is
Firm-Increased Confidence Results in
Better Demand in Staple Lines


New York, March a9.-Bradstreets viii:
say. tomorrow: General trade for the third
week in succession continues to show evil
dence of Improvement. In no other direc-
ton is this SO plainly indicated as in the
tendency of prices. week ago encourage
ment was obtained from the generally un-
expected advance in cotton and wheat. Fol-
lowing this slight reaction the week wit
messed firm cotton market and further iia-
provement in wheat, with sympathetic in
fuenoe on cotton and oats, the effect of
which is greatly emphasized this week by
advances in the quotations. not only for
coke but prospe ctively for iron ore and bes-
sinner and pig iron, for steel billets, and ac-
tually for manufactured iron at western
market and higher quotations. for out
meats west. one of the outcome of the
restricted supplies of cattle. This is be-
hind the increased demand for shoes for
fall delivery as quotations for leather
continue upwards on the.comparatiYe scar
city of hides.
The frmness in cotton at the late sd-
vance, shows itself in higher quotations,
not only for print cloths but other varieties
for cotton goods. some one-eightn and one
quarter cents higher than a fortnight ago.
The increased. demand for petroleum on re-
ports of reduced OUTPUT has pushed prices
up. and higher price for hogs at the VEST
has brought like quotations for pork and
lard in addition. Advances aresreported on
butter and eggs. Such list of increased
quotations within the week. the third with
in three weeks tells its own story. Among
tie staples reported firm or unchanged in
price are wool, although moving il q large
volume, cotton. sugar. coffee, leaf tobacco,
rice. lumber ands millinery. Reactions in
prices are confined to cut quotations for
anthracite coal and naval stores at Savan-
nah. As important as other information
being on the condition of trade are the re-
ports from Minnesota. South Dakota, Me-
braska and lows, that the soil Is greatly IN
need of more moisture, which with unsea-
sonably warm and dry weather, promises
a restricted area of wheat, particularly in
South Dakota. To some extent these con-
ditions prevail.in Kansas where summer
heat is reported.
BANK CLEARINGS.
The bank clearings pendulum swings
down this week TO $685.. 100000 or 6.5 per
cent below the total of last week. and As
per cent less than the last week of March.
1884, after the Barings' crash.
A better feeling prevails in general trade
circles, which has charact erized reports from
a number of:cities becoming more widespread
even where no actual gain in the movement
of staples is reported,..anl increased conf
dence in the better demand is marked. Re-
Iatively. the greatest gains are reported
from Providence, Pittsburg Chicago, st.
Louis. Kansas City. Tacoma and Seattle.
REPORTS OF FAILURES.
Reports of actual failures throughout the
United States from December 3, 1885,. to
March ., 1895, to Bradstreets, furnish the
total of 3S13, only 81 fewer than the first
quarter of 1898. The only other like total
in excess of the aggregate for the first quar-
ter for 1894 and 1885, was 1885, 1850, de-
crease in number of failures for the quarter
of about four per cent, and slightly ex-
ceeded by the falling off of the total liabili-
ties. the latter having declined 4.73 per cent
from the quarters of the year before to
S46. Oil 200.
Exports of wheat, including flour as
wheat, from both coasts this week are g.
562 900 bushels. This total is compared with
the exports of practically 100000 bu shells
last week. and 1866, 900 in the week a year
ago.