The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-15
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
RATLWfF EARNINGSSHOWA LARGE
PER CENTfGE OF GAIN.
The General situation Throughout the
Country Does Not Meet Anticipations'
Much Building Expected.


of February 18th Will say:
The general business situation through
out the country does not meet ahiiclpa-
ton. ana except at Few clueS- Bai,i-
mora and Pittsourg in the East, chicago
ST. Louis. and Omaha in the west cai-
weston Chattanooga, and Atlanta AT the
South-remains dull for the season. IN
most instances dsappointinSiy so.
Improvement in demand and prices IS
confined In hides, leather. ana boots ana
shoes. which are conspicuous IN the s-t-
cial list of staples for which prices are
higher.
Features of the situation are those re-
sultlng from unfavorable weather East
and in the Central West, reaction In
prices OF iron and steel, further com
plants by wooilen manufacturers an OUT
look for middle woollen machinery,
smaller total of bank clearinss. con-
tinued stiffness, maintenance OF hign RACES
for loans, Notwithstanding the favorable
differences drawn from the heavy over
subscription TO the boNerhheh' ooi i
issue and restricted production OF Dig
RAILWAY EARNINGS.
January gross railway earnings are very
encouraging. showing a larger percehtae.
OF gain than in any previous month pus
one for three years.
Makers of G, ton goods insist that prices
must advance, or the cost OF tle ia"
material decline. I'm the race OF Wnlcn
iobbers are cutting prices Oh cotton
goods.
Wholesale dealers in paints and glass
anticipate heavy building operations III
the spring. and report large orders placer
al over nrices are recorded for pork.
lard corn wheat, wheat-nour, ana I'VE
stock i'm addition TO cotton, steel Dhle's'
and Bessemer pig iron, nndlcatils pal
tial reversal of the general tendency OF
prices OF leading staples To advance eA-
hibited in late weeks No change IN quo,
tations for coal. LUMBER, petroleum anu
print cloths Is reported, Wnlle III aunt
fo the advances Tor leather and for hides
prices of oats. coffee, and sugar are
higher. ,.
Jhe total volume OF bank clearings
dropped of 10 Peg cent. this week. the
total being 5000, $4,000.
The total number Of business failures
reported throughout the United STAT
his week is Isl. an eNceouonaly La =.
number. the gain, as compared WIN I"s,
week. being -. Most OF the increase -
e.nlained bv returns from the Central
Western States and the Pacific coast
DUN'S REPORT.
Z. G. Dun * co. Will gay tomorrow IN
their weekly review OF trade.
Failures for the first week OF February
were NWgtsD. against $3.50 500 last year.
Manufacturing were S2,3'22l3, against
S,zg3iS iast year and N,Jsio'Z in 1874, ana
trading were $3.50, ~, against N'j'f'ef
last year and s.. isJ.os5 In 1871.
Failures Tor the week have been ~ III
the United States, against go last year,
and 81 IN Canada, against 81 last year.
The weather still binders business, ana
continued clOseness OF money anu ~
louged inactiOu OF Congress, put CONF
deuce increases. There Is littie more
demand Tor some manufactured pIOuuc'S.
Exports improve with yleidlhs prices Tt
gfaulss. and for the week from New ofA
oxeeed last Years - per cent, While I'M
uorfs have increased 10 per cent. flg
iron at the East and at Chicago mas ho1
advanced. southern competition contilu-
ing at prices so low that several AlaDdliid
furnaces have stopped, but Bessemer is
a shade lower at Pittsburg. Inc deHahu
Tor plates sheets, and wire nails con-
tiuues fairly good. and there are more
orders TOR railroad cars ana nar IRON 81
Chicago. but no further sales OF rags
appear, ard the demand for hnished pro-
ducts keeps but about Z per cent OF tne
capacity employed. The coke output is
again much reduced.
Copper h. a shade firmer. while TN ana
lead are not active and unchanged. me-
demand for boots and shoes Is stun MS
apyointing Some ma kers get good orders
for WCrnen's light shoes. nut othtf4
scarcely any. and Boston shipments tn"s
far are n per cent less IMAM last Etdi.
Textile work shows little change, thouSh
the cut IN print cloths and general con-
ceesious in brown and bleached staples,
averaging for the whole list quoted per
cent. since January LIST. Induced more
bu,-iug which the known accumulation
M
Many mills are reporting great prOuts
last year from the rise Of cotton but me
prospect OF "A larger crop TINS year ooes
not promise repetition Of such gains
Though goods still average l2.i per cent.
above their lowest point year ago, cot
ton is now ~ per cent hlenef thah IL
was then. Sales OF wool have been small
for two weeks Of February, but higner
prices abroad. sustained by heavy snip
ments of goods TO this country. incline
holders Of wool here 10 make no conces-
sions so that manufacturers nave inc
more difficulty in meeting competition.
Cotton receipts at this season. never
large. still indicate n supply for the cur
rent crop year. including stocks brought
over much in excess of the worlds needs,
SO that the prospect of increased acreage
mas the more power 20 depress prices,
and spot cotton has declined an eighth for
the week Exports i'm January were 81
f53. $50 less than last year. though prices
were A. per cent. higher.
Clearings FOR the week. lOf per cent.
larger than last year, are 2'.l per cent.
less than I'm 1893.