Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-30
STILL IMPROVING.
General Business Picking Up7hrough-
out the United States.
once More We See Evidences OF Prosperity
in Inc Future.

New York. March 80. -Braslstreets wiz
say tomorrow General trade for the
third week In succession continues to
ebo,y evidence o improvement. IN no
other direction Is this so plainly inal-
Gated as in the tendency OF prices. A
week AFRO encouragement was obtained
from the generally unexpected advance 10
cotton and wheat.
Following their slight reaction, the
week witnessed firm cotton Inarkef'
further irnprovcn cnt in wheat, with sym
pathetic influence on com and oats 1ne
effect OF which was greatly enphasizeu,
this week, by advances in quotatlohs' ho'
only for coke, but prosepctiyeiy Tor iron
orc and Besscmer pig iron, for steel biiists
and actually for manufactured IRON at
Western markets.
Higher quotations for cut meats in the
West are the outcome OF the restricted
supplies OF cattle, and this Is behind the
Increased demand for shoes for fall de-
livery, as the quotations for leather con-
tinue upward on its comparative scarcity.
The Hrlnness in cotton at the late advance
has shown itself in higher quotations not
only for print cloths but other varieties OF
cotton goods, some being 1-S and Ia cents
higher than q fortnight ago. The in
erased demand for petroleum on reports
for reduced output has pushed prices up,
and hipher prices for hogs at the West
have brought like quotations for pork and
lard.
In addition, advances are reported on
butter and eggs. Such list of increased
1uotations within q week. the third with
an three weeks, tells Its own story. Among
the staples reported firm or unchanged in
mice. are wool, although moving in larger
volume cotton, sugar, coffee, leaf tobacco,
ricc. lumber and millinery. The reactions
n nrioes are confined to cut quotations for
anthracite coal, and naval stores at Savan-
nah.
Al important as other information bear
Ing on the condition OF trade are the re-
ports from Minnesota, South Dakota, Ne
braska and Iowa, that the soil IS greatly
in need Of more moisture, which, with
the unseasonably warm and dry weather,
promises restricted area OF wheat, par
ticularly in South Dakota. 10 some ex-
tent these conditions prevail In Kansas,
where summer heat is reported.
The bank clearings pendulum swings
down. this week, to $3.50, 600, 000.or g. per
cent. below the total Of last week, and 40
per cent. less than the last week OF
March 1901, after the Earrings crash. This
weeks total Is 20 per cent larger than the
like week Of last year,27 per cent smaller
than the fourth week Of March, 1898, the
month before the outbreak Of the panic OF
that year, and 23 per cent. smaller than
the like week Of 1892.
The better feeling in general trade cir
cles which characterized the reports from
n number of cities has become more wide
spread even where no actual gain IN
movement OF staples Is reported, and the
Increased confidence in better demand IL
marked. Relatively the greatest gains are
rpnorted from Providence, Pittsburg, Chi
cacu. st. Louis, Kansas City. Tacoma
md Semitic At the Central and western
cities mentioned there are expanding
volumes in staple lines, the tendency OF
prices to advance having begun to have an
effect on the interior merchants, who I'M
I'll now were content topurchaso for near
by necessities only.
Reports Of actual failures Throughout;
tho United STATES, Dec. q. 1894 to March
~, 1895, TO Bradstreets furnish u total OF
1912. only i57 fewer than the first quarter
of 1898. Tho only ether like total in excess
of tho aggregate for the first quarter for
1891 and 1885 was 1855, 4050 or decrease
in the number of failures for the quarter
of about por cent. being lightly exceeded
by falling OF oi total liabilities, the lat
tor having declined II per cent from the
quarter total Of year ago, to $46,9ll,-
600
Expor.s oC wheat, inoiuiing -four as
wheat, on both coasts this week, were
smaller than TIE four preceding weeks,
1858. 600 bushels This tOtal is compared
with the experts Of practically 1000, COO
bushes In last week, .. 96G, 000 in the week
n year ago. .. sIa, 600 two years ago 2, 597
900 three wears ago. and 2. 10000 in the
fourth week Of March, 1891.
Among the larger Eastern cities general
trade remains unchanged, except for In
creased confidence in the outlook at Bos-
ton. Baltimore and Buffalo. PhiIadel-
phia reports better inquiry for iron and
textiles. At Pittsburg there is an in
creased distribution of staples In addi-
ton to the improvement in iron and steel.
Providence manufacturers OF worsted
yarns, worsted and cotton goods, are busy,
and those of cassimeres are running full.
Moderate gains in trade in trade are re.
ported from Louisville, with continued
distribution of large volumes OF staples
from Chicago. St Louis and Kansas City.
Duluth reports sales from go to 40 pei
cent larger than last year At st. Pau
general trade is fair; ut Minneapolis, un'
changed. At Sioux Falls, S. D., business
with jobbers is smaller than year ago,
but collections on new business are good
AT Cleveland and Detroit few features are
reported. with collections unsatisfactory
Milwaukee reports trade fair, with tend
ency to improvement, and Des Moines and
Omaha cay business is dull, with some
gain reported in special lines.
Moderate Improvement is announced
from Memphis, Nashville, Birmingham
Atlanta and Augusta, dry goods, groceries
hardware and plantation supplies feeling
the change most. At Chattanooga and
Savannah trade lie quiet, and at jackson
Vile there is decrease In volume. Th'
movement Of dry goods at New Orleans
has felt some increased demand but ship
ping interests continued disturbed. IN
season is backward at Galveston, wher'
trade Is only fair.
On the Pacific coast jobbiDg Interests