The Portland daily press., 1895-01-05
Mild Hopefulness Marks the Business
Situation.
IMPROVEMENT DEPENDS ON SET
ELEMENT OF CURRENCY BILL. I


for Nine Years-Some Bullish Condi-
tions of the Wheat Market.
New York, January 4. -Bradstreets
tomorrow will say: There has been no
material Improvement in general trade
within the week. Jobbers and other
wholesalers are sending out or about to
send out commercial travellers, but in
many instances have not finished the
years. accounts and stock taking. Tele-
graphed reports from more important
trade centres do not reveal specially
hopeful views as to the improvement in
business in the near future. In many
instances trade revival is declared to
depend on the settlement of the currency
question. The most encouraging ex-
pressions of opinion are merchants are
hopeful" Among the more favorable
conditions are reports that the stocks OF
goods Of II descriptions in the hands of
jobbers manufacturers and retailers
west and northwest, are generally small
er than usual at this season. The bust
ness of the year in dry goods, hats,
shoes, millinery. and groceries, has been
fairly satisfactory. Cold weather has
stimulated the demand for coal and
seasonable fabrics Telegraphic COM
munlcatlon the Northwest, and on the
Pacific coast has been interrupted by a
storm. The movement OF cotton, sugar
and rice in Louisiana is checked along
with the demand. Less favora BILE is the
announcement of the Invest price on
record for iron and steel billets, each
having declined Is cents ton.
A SILVER LINING
is found in the advance of rs cents ton
in shipping rates to northern markets
from southern points. of Dig iron. The
production of print cloths is weaker.
and they sell shade under last weeks
quotations. Coal is fractionally lower,
and pig tin also; as are pork. sugar, in
dian corn, live cattle and hogs. Foreign
Competition with American woolen
dress goods for. spring delivery is sharp,
and domestic ia brics are rather neglected.
Many mills are busy on orders for mems
wear in woolens. Cheap grades OF shoes
at western factories are higher, as are
wheat and lard. At the larger eastern
cities only moderate volume OF busi-
ness is reported, Buffalo and Boston are
inclinep to regard the near outlook
more hopefully.
Damage from extremely cold weather
in Florida to fruit and vegetables is
quite heavy, and orange growers are
affected seriously On the Pacific coast
San Fra noisco is inclined to regard the
near future more hopefully although
trade there is quiet.
THE TOTAL BANK CLEARINGS
at SO cities in the United States sggre-
gate for the calendar year of 1894,
$44, 995, 900, 900, or 16 per cent less than
the panic year of 1868, and 26 per cent
less than in 1892. the year Of the largest
volume of bank tlearings The clearing
for 1894 constitute the smallest aggIe-
gate for nine years, the next smallest
$44, 12O, 0O0, 900 in 1884. Only Is cities re-
port increased totals in 1894 over 1898.
The total exports OF wheat (flour includ-
ed) from both coasts of the United
States, amount to 1854, 900 bushels,
against 3,196, 00O in the week year ago.
The available wheat in the United
States and Canada January 1st, aggre-
gated 127, ,OO9, COO bushels, or 1900, ,OO0
more than the year before. and 11,000,0 90
Bushels more than two years axo, and
49. OO. 600 more than three years ago.
Wheat afioat for and in Europe the 1st
inst. aggregates 57.744,0o0 bushels. a
ia ling off of 70, 200. 600 from year ago,
10, 500. 600 from two years ago, and
20. 7UO. 900 from three Years ago.
The nlost buIish feature of Bradstreets
regular monthly report on American
wheat stocks is ound in the net decrease
of 639, 900 bushels IN the available sup
plies in the United States and Canada
during December last. In the four pre-
ceding years the December available
tocks of wheat here and in Canada each
increased on Rn average of between four
million and five million bushels. The
available wheat in the United States,
Canada and Europe, and afoat for
Europe January 1, has increased only
l43, 900 bushels.
In Decem ber, 1898, there was decrease
of 16a, 600 bushels, and in the year be-
fore a gain Of 6, $50, 900. The least bulIish
feature of the report is the stocks of
availvable Russian wheat at the interi-
or. These are reported monthly from
June 1, last, when they amounted to
8. 500, 600 bushels. Since then they have
uou bled, the total January 1, 1895, bein z
II, 900, 900 bushels.