Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-29
BUSINESS coxDITleas.
Bradsiseess Find Things Fairly Lively and in
Healthy Condition.

New York, June 28.-B radstrects, to-
morrow, will say: The dominating bust
ness conditions OF the week are the con-
tinued large demand for and further in
creases In prices for iron and steel. The
Jump In rail prices and the scarcity OF
and higher quotations for plates and
nails, has tended to produce temporary
scarcity.
The improving wheat conditions have
finally convinced many In trade that there
are likely to be- fully 425, 900, 600 bushels
harvested in the United States, this year,
which with the probable ''availa-
bic" surplus Of $4,000, 900 bushels
being carried over at this time,
points to only 100000 600, pos
sibly no. 900, 600 bushels or more availa-
tic for export during the next IL months,
which Is less than any year since 1890.
With the short crops abroad, In some In
stances this can hardly fail to bring a
higher range of prices
The exports wheat flour as wheat)
from both coasts Of the United States and
from Montreal amounted to only ], 1916
4O2 bushels this week, against 2, S57, 600
bushels, last week. The decrease Is largely
of the flour shipment from Newport
News, Boston, New York and San Fran
cisco. The exports in the week of q year
ago were 1,717,000, and 1871, coo two
years ago.
The total bank clearings were 81, OIL
600, 900, which while smaller for all the
cities than week ago. by 6.5 per cent,
are 80 per cent. larger than the last week
Of June, 1894, 6 per cent. larger than In
that week In 1898, month after the
panic had gotten fully under way, and 2
Der cent smaller than in the correspond
ing week of 1892.
With further advances in the prices of
iron and steel there should be coupled q
gain of one cent per pound for wool, which
apparently began its journey to higher
level about u fortnight ago. Better quota
lions are made for the cheaper grade of
wooden goods, prints, bessvIner pig, billets,
wheat, pork, lard, hogs, shoes and copper.
and declines are recorded for -four, corn,
oats, coffee, cotton, naval stores and cattle.
Failures in the United States for the
six months, show marked falling off in
the second quarter Of this year, as Is to be
expected, but not SO great decline rela-
lively as in the second quarter Of 1894,
which results In total for the six months,
of 6597, Or per cent. moro than last year,
per cent. more than 1898, and 9per cent.
more than the first half of 1891, after the
Barring crash.
The total liabilities (Which amount to
$40, 707, Sol, with IS per cent assets) have
shrunk more than $3,000 900 from last
year, and more than one-half within two
years, pointing to an excess in the number
Of failures being due rather to the con
tinue effects Of the recent business distur-
bance on smaller enterprises, than to new
and unfavorable conditions. ,.-
Failures In New England for the past
six months, numbered 955, against 1909
In the like period Of last year. Liabili-
ties, S12, 500. 900, against $40, 764, 600 last
year: assets, SO, 022, sos, against 1881
$40, last year.
The Improvement in business in New
= England is shown more particularly by
the failure Of the Onlyville worsted mill
strike, and the return to work Of 1000 opera
tives, the greater frmness for leather, oon-
tlnued activity at shoe factories, and
rather better demand for hardware iron
and steel. AT New York, there is nearly
the usual volume of midsummer trade in
staple goods. At Philadelphia the i'm
provcment in the demand for staples and
iron and steel, as well as at Pittsburg, is
again conspicuous. There is a relatively
loss gain at Buffalo. At Baltimore tho
outlook for fall business is regarded as
excellent.
Thre are few evidences of revival of
general trade ut the South, and merchants
At almost all the leading cities in that
region report that the demand continues
very moderate and collections SLOW Cot
ton and fruit crops in the south Atlantic
states promise well and the business out
look isreported encouraging. Incessant
kAingin Texas have hurt the crops In
craG0d shipments by Gal 7eston jobbers
AZ x4p0rtsd due rather more to the rail
way freight rate war than an increased
demand.
General business on the Pacific coast
continues In contrast to that elsewhere.
Increases arc reported In several lines
from Seattle, wheie a glass factory is to
be built and importations of British tin
plate have been received. Relatively less
activity is reported by Tacoma. with the
exception that the Alaska tourist travel is
the heaviest for years. Tho trade ut that
city with the Japanese and Chinese ports
10 assuming large proportions.
EOrtlhnu announces Lnat the oregon
fruit crop will be large. but there has
bean no change In the general business
6l4nAtlon there. Wheat is being exported
lf6m San Francisco as East as it can Re
loaded into ships. New tea is In good
eupply, and produce and fruits active.
Wheat flour shipments to Europe are to
be resumed from the mills Mt Vallejo after
q suspension of over ayear.
The only change in the West and North
west are tho continued improvement in
the cereal crop conditions and the stimu
lus to business by the. confined firmness
of and demand for iron and steel. Bust
ness In dry goods, clothing and shoes OF
the larger centers exceeds the record for
the six months of 1891 and in some In
stances Is declared equal to the volume in
the first half of 1898.
The influence OF the approaching mid
summer is making itself felt Stock-tak
ing in some lines, preparations to sending
out travellers in Others, the check to col
lections due to the beginning OF harvesting
ana the excellent crop outlook, are the
features