The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-12-14
THE CONDITION OF TRADE
WOODEN MANUEACTURERs REPORT FAIR ORDERS FOR DRESS GOODS.
The Course of Prices of Staples Continues Downward-Advancos Are Quoted for Petroleum, Conos and Cotton-Leather and Hides Continue Weak.

uhu THUGS SOnIInue W eak.
 New York, Dec. 1S-Bradstreets this week says, Among southern cities the single instance of relative improve ment is reported from Birmingham, al- though most disturbing centers expect an increased demand after January 1. Cotton receipts are unusually small at almost all southern points, except at New Orleans, where they are liberal. Galveston reports, Christmas trade smaller than year ago. From Seat- tie adyices are received that the vol tune of general business is unsatisfac- tory and there is apparently no un- usual activity at San Francisco or at Portland Tacoma exported a cargo of lumber to Australia on Thursday.
 In industrial lines woolen manufac- turers report fair orders for dress goods, but at low prices. Philadelphia textile plants running on full time are those at work on orders for immediats delivery. Eastern shoe factories re- port more orders, but jobbers regard the situation very conservatively. Phil- adelphia manufacturers of morocco have begun running on short time.
 The course of prices of staples con- tinues downward. Leather and hides continue weak, but unchanged after their recent drop. Lumber remains steady and without particular activity which is true of rice and of sugar also. Quotations for wheat flour and for oats as well as for print cloths, likewise re- main unchanged. Iron and steel con- tinue what appears to be a regular weekly decrease, although reductions this week are fractional. There is no likelihood of material improvement in demand for iron and steel within the next thirty days. Most mills and fur- naces have orders into the new year and production has remained the high- est on record for a month.
 The only advances in quotations recorded among the more important staples are for petroleum, coffee and cotton. Exports of wheat, flour includ- ed as wheat, from both coasts of the United tsates this week aggregate 2,- 45S,OOO against 2,536,O0o bushels in the WSCh q yCdI dSO, duu o,Al ,uuU puSlltlS two years ago. Exports of Indian corn amount to 2,391, ,0OO bushels, the largest total for any week since that ending May ?, 1892. This is due to the extra ordinary heavy outward movement at New Orleans. Bank clearings through out the United States this week aggre- gate $1219,000, decrease of 9fper cent. from last week; an increase of 10 per cent. as compared with the second week of December, 1894, an increase of 23 per cent. as compared with the correspond- ing week in 1893, and a decrease of 16 per cent. as compared with the second week of December three years ago. November gross railroad earnings make a surprisingly good showing when quieter trade and three fewer business days in November than in October are considered. Total earnings of 121 roads with 9S,5S7 miles to main line aggregate SAY ,237, ,169 for November, gain of 6.3 per cent. over a year ago, against a gain in October of only 6.8 per cent of Octo- Der a year. The grangers, coalers. trunk lines and Pacific roads all did relatively better in November than in October, while gains in the southern and central western road groups Were slightly smaller. The only group in which ground appears to have been actually lost is the southwestern. ur- favorably affected by the decrease in cotton tonnage. Earnings for the first week of December point to a larger movement of corn, offsetting the falling off in cotton There are more increases and fewer decreases in earnings in Mo- vember than in October. No coal roads
 only two granger roads and three southern roads show decreases from No- vember's totals a year ago.
 The November gains over a year ago by St. Paul and New York Central sys- tems were actually larger than in Oc- tober a year ago. Total earnings of IF roads for eleven months were $449,- 100000, a gain over a. year ago of 4.a per cent. This shows a decrease for eleven months a year ago from 1893 of 10.7 per cent.
 There are 313 business failures re. ported this week, compared with SS3 d year ago.
 Photographic .advices from Montreal are tha prices for almost all farm pro- ducts are lower, while those for hard. ware, shoes and clothing are firm with 8 moderately active demand. Mercan- tile collections from the eastern por- ton of the province of Quebec are ex- ceptionally slow. Toronto advices are that there is an improvement in season. able lines of goods, but that wheat prices are lower throughout Ontario. Rather more favorable advices are re- ceived from Halifax than for a long time. WooIen goods are stronger and almost all seasonable lines report a better demand and collections satisfac- tory. At St. John, N. B., the lumber market is strongest Demand for fish is active and prices tend upwards. There are 39 business failures report ed from the Dominion this week com pared with 34 in the week one year ago.
 Bank clearings at Winnipeg, Toron- to, Hamilton, Montreal and Halifax ag- gregate s24,SSS,0 900 this week, an in- crease of IS per cent. as compared with the corresponding week last year.