The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-02

Bradstreet Accounts for the Falling Off
An Interesting Comparison of the
Bank CIearings for 81 Number of Years
Past.
New York, November 1.-Bradstreet's
will say tomorrow
The volume of general business is
smaller this week, due in part to the
drought, although widespread rains
during the latter portion of the week
have gone far to break the dry spell at
the West and Northwest The COM
mercial demand has been mainly for
staples, with falling off in volume.
Extremes are found at Cincinnati where
business has been dull, and at Kansas
City where it is up to the average at this
time with heavy mail orders. The dis
tributing centres at the Northwest from
Chicago to Omaha and Duluth to Sioux
Falls, report reaction in the demand
which is likely to await the arrival of
winter weather.
The larger eastern business centres feel
the effect of the falling off in the demand
at the Vest, notably Boston. Philadelphia
and Pittsburg. The situation at Buffalo,
as at other Lake ports, is better. owing to
the active season on the lakes.
Coal shippers have been refusing
western orders because of lack of cars and
the lake transportation has held generally
inadequate to meet the demand.
After severe liquidation,
THE NEW DIRK STOCK MARKET.
has recovered from the lowest prices. The
''bear'' covering, which caused an i'm
provement in public interest is still alb
sent A liquidation in European money
in action, is considered inevitable, and it
is made more probable by the war like
political situation in the East
At the South the general trade among
jobbers at most points is only tair; in
some sections mercantile collections are
slower, and farmers are holding crops.
Business at New Orleans at the close OF
the month is smaller in volume, as is
usual. Galveston reports very little Texas
cotton remaining in the producers hands
and receipts are falling off sharply. The
general trade has improved somewhat at
Memphis, Atlanta and Augusta and to
greater extent at Bennington, where the
output of coal and iron is much larger
than heretofore. The number of employees
at work is correspondingly increased and
prospects are more favorable than former
ly ST. Louis jobbers believe that next
springs business at the South will be the
heaviest for years.
NO MARKED CHANGES
are reported from the Pacific coast. At
San Francisco the improvement in prices
is shown in few lines, notably in
wheat. At Seattle the volume of business
last month was larger than in September.
Trade at Tacoma is quiet, and importa-
tions during October are valued at nearly
S.. 900. .OOO Portland adviccs are large and
shipments are being made to China,
Mexico and California.
Sales at the East are heavier, and prices
higher.
industrial lines retain the features of
the previous weeks The production of
iron and steel remains full, with more
steadiness in prices than last week.
Recent sales at cut quotations, are known
to be re-sales of purchases on speculation.
The weakness which affects leather and
hides is competition which checks pur-
chases of shoes, buyers preferring to
wait.
Eastern adyices are that dullness
characterizes the shoe industry and many
factories are idle.
Business in wool has fallen off half
and manufacturers having filed
immediate requirements, preferring to
wait until good market starts up before
buying further. Woolen machinery con-
tinues only partly employed, with less
favorable outlook than was hoped for.
The price of wool abroad is weaker
The recent weather conditions have
helped retailers of cotton goods, which
remained firm in price, and notwith-
standing the break in quotations for raw
material The demand for window glass
continues brisk, as does that for coal
Prices of staples this week, are on the
whole, steady. Raw cotton and wheat
have advanced as we'll as anthracite COAL
Naval stores, leaf tobacco, lumber, rails,
steel billlets, bessemer pig iron, and
although the latter are weaker are un-
changed.
The reaction in leather prices is based
on competition between large interests
LOWER PRICES FOR WHEAT
appear due to the continued neglect of
supplies here by foreign buyers, with
heavy weekly receipts.
The extraordinary crop of Indian corn
is behind the drop in prices in that
cereal, as we'll as the lower price of lard.
The smaller quotations for sugar call for
no comment.
Bank clearings in the United States
this week are 81, ,0S2, 900, 000 falling off
of nearly 6 per cent compared with the
7aS 4 GS