Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-28
TRADE STILL QUIET
The Usual Slack After the Holidays
Only More Pronounced. = -
Sank cIearings Very Favorable Increase il
Failures Over Last Yer.

New York, Dec. -Bradstrests, tomor
row, will say: AZ is the rule in Christ
mas week, Wholesale trade is quiet. The
holidays, the close Of the year and stock
taking tend to make business slow, and
promise only % light trade until late in
January. A the various cities, notably
New York, Boston, Baltimore and Chicago,
the anticipation as to the character OF
trade early in the coming year are hope
full, hut it remains to be seen whether the
downward movement Of demand and
prices, and the delay in putting the cur
rency on u sound basis, all of which have
oegun to show themselves in trade condi-
tions, will permit of early aud marked
gains in the staple lines of trade in 1896,
as was confidently expected.
The week S features in commercial lines
are A rather better trade in Christmas
specialtics than was expected; a check to
business at the West from the long con
tinued rains; the extremely light stocks
Of goods in the hands of retailers; the
strength of wool and the exp, citation OF
holders that it Will advance, should thu
proposed duty be placed on it; and the
pronounced movement of funds from the
West to the East, not only to pay interest
but because of a better demand for cur
rency at the larger financial eutrcs.
Grain is moving mere freely in the STATE
of Washington, us well as in the nearby
Northwest, where u lack Of snow Is felt by
the lunbermen. Wheat continues to go
from the Pacific coast to Australia. Most
industries report business as quiet.
Eastern Tiress goods wooden mills are
fairly supplied with orders, but some OF
thu PHILADELPHIA mills have shut down
for a short time: Shoe manufacturers re-.
port buyers taking very little interest, blu,
the increased strength in hides makes
them relatively confident.
The prices movement is more favorable
than for a number of weeks. quotations.
fotscokc having been advanced, as well as
those for mohair, wheat, Indian corn, oats
and sugar, while for leather, hides, lum
Der, coal, wool coffee and print cloths the
quotations are unchanged. Fractional
reactions are reported in the prices of Ic
fined petroleum. cotton, pork, flour, iron
and steel.
Exports Of wheat Qlour included e.
wbeaD from both coasts OF the United
States, this week, were 3, 457, 600 bushels,
compared with 1,Sl4,0O0. in the oorre-
spending week OF year ago. This week 5
foreign shipments of wheat flour in
oluded) was the largest since the third
week in January.
The bank clearings totals We're favor
able. The aggregate Is Sl,145, 600, goo.
and while it is 3.5 per cent less than last
week, Ga remarkably small falling off
when the Christmas interruption Is re
called1, it shows an increase OF fully SO
Der cent. over the Christmas week of 1894,
and ~ per cent. over 1898,
Failures IN the country for the year
number 49, 013, an increase of more than
9 per cent, notwithstanding this Is the
second year following the panic, in which
| it is usual for the number Of failures 20
decline The increase in number IS ac-
companied by gain of 6 per cent. in
liabilities of those failing.
The commercial death rate, which
averaged 30 in every 100 engaged in
business during the five years from 1890
to 1894, inclusive. and ranged as high a.
| 50 in the panic year 1898, and being
down to lei in 1904. has risen to 1.23 OF
every 100 in business, this year. The in
creases in the number of failures are in
| the West, Northwest and Middle states
decreases being shown in New England,
/ The South and on the Pacific coast.
! The percentage of assets to liabilities
| has risen from 53 per cent, year ago,
| t. nearly So per cent, as contrasted with
| IS per cent.in the year 1898. The liabili
| ties, this year, aggregate sl5S, s42, AS;
actual assets, SIS, rs, $50.
| The number of failures in New England
was 1868. against 1854 in 1894. Liabili-
| ties, $40 9l4, LAB against SIS 790, 0lS IN
1924; assets, 50, 020, 24i, against S7,S26,
| 3Sl in 1894.