The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-11-30
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.

(From Bradstreet's State of Trade.')
The volume of general trade shows a fall
ing off compared with the preceding week,
very largely owing to the Intervention OF the
Thanksgiving holiday, but in part to the
continued effect of mild weather, East and
South. storms in the Central West, and the
usual disinclination of buyers to add to
stocks during the closing month of the year.
Navigation has practically closed on the
| great lakes the canals, and at Montreal.
| Western jobbers report activity noticeable
in clothing, wooden goods, rubbers, shoes and
| holiday specialties, with some increased de-
mand for coal and light hardware.
General trade remains unchanged at the
| South, with mercantile collections in some
instances improving, the tendency OF cotton
to move slowly, and the movement OF mer-
chandise smaller than in October. Texas
| merchants report a fair movement OF no.
tons and fancy goods, but a check to dlstrl-
button of groceries and dry goods.
On the Pacific coast a smaller volume OF
| business is reported from San Francisco,
with shipments east OF wheat, whic strength
en- the local gram market. Considerable
merchandise continues to go to Alaska from
Seattle, and at Portland complaints are
made that the passenger rate war between
that city and San Francisco threatens to
hurt local trade.
lhere are 28S business failures reported
throughout the United States this week, a
noticeable falling off from the total one
week before, 1928, and even when compared
with the total one wear ago. 307. In the last
week of November, 1873, there were 29S
| failures, and in the corresponding week OF
1899 the total was 268.
The most striking industrial feature is the
continued reaction in prices of iron
steel. Bessemer pig being off Csc. and steel
billets fractionally lower, with reactions in
prices for wire, sheets and other forms.
There is little likelihood Of an increased de-
mand or a reversal of the price movement
prior to the middle of January. There IS an
improved demand for boots and shoes at
Baltimore. Chicago and ST. Louis, as we'll as
at some New England manufacturing CEN
tres, while at Philadelphia the demand is
not SO conspicuous as previously The re-
striction of production by several tanner1es
tends to weaken the price of hides.
Dry goods are quleter with the continued
unseasonably mild weather and the revival
of the holiday trade. The strength Of cotton
maintains the price of cotton goods. Higher
prices for wool at London tend to revive IN
terest here, and agents for dress woolens re-
port new orders for spring delivery. Some
New England wooden mills have contracted
for about all they care to sell at present.
Exports of wheat flour included as wheat!
from both coasts of the United States and
from Montreal amount to 2,460,0 600 bushels,
as compared with {, 1915, 900 bushels last week,
| 1861, 600 bushels in the week a year ago,
2,440, 600 bushels two years ago, and 4,533,00O
bushels in the week three years ago..
Stock speculation at New York is waiting
for the meeting of Congress and for the
beginning of the agitation over the cur
rency. which is considered probable at this
session. Prior to Thursdays holiday prices
improved on short covering, induced by the
decline in exchange rates, the prospect of
small gold exports, and the revival OF specu-
lative confidence in London. The leading
l. .nI,,cfriol cfOotc hnyUavor hQu a hanO fhQ
objects OF bear selling, based on reported at
tacks through the courts and unfavorable
trade conditions. Railroad stocks are gem
orally firm. The market as a whole is dull
and narrow. Foreign exchange has declined
ON slack inquiry to 4o9 or a tribe lower.
Engagements of specie for export this week
were 81. 800, 200. OF which 81, 100000 goes by
to-day's stermer.
j Bank clearings throughout the United
States amounted to $S70, 100000 this week,
and reflect rather more than the customary
falling off incidental to Thanksgiving week,
the decrease as compared with the preceding
week amounted to 70 per cent When com
pared with the total for the week one year
ago the gain is only s per cent, and as COM
pared with the week 10 1898 the increase is
only 10 per cent. At or about the close OF
1892 there were reported some exceptionally
large aggregates of bank clearlngs, SO Wnen
we compare this weeks total with that IN
the week three years G the decrease is
found to be 81 per cent. A comparison with
the corresponding week in 1891 indicates a
decrease this week of IL per cent.
The general tendency of prices of staples
CONTINUES in line with that shown in two or
three preceding weeks-a clear majority of
those usually quoted showing decreases as
compared with the week before, notably
various forms of steel and iron, including
wire, hides, live stock, wheat flour, Indian
corn, oats, pork, lard, coffee petroleum and
print cloths. Practically unchanged quota
lions are announced for lumber, coal,
leather, naval stores, leaf tobacco, sugar and
wool. The more conspicuous advances ap-
near to be confined to wheat, ISc. a busheIi
cotton, 1-Sc. apound, and some Of the cheaper
GRADES of paper stock, fractionaily.
From r. q. Dun & Co.'S Weekly Re
view.)
Business has not improved, 0 there
Is very little change except in the shfinkage
Of nrices which aperiod OF i~naction naturally
causes. After the extraordinary buying Of
the summer and early fall a marked de.
crease was inevitable, and it is yet too early
IN most branches Of business to judge how
far the future was anticipated IN purchases
Retail stocks are still reported full IN nearly
al branches, with delayed distribution 10
III rxoofhc1<