The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-03-21
THE CONDITION OF TRADE
BRADsTREETS REPORTS THAT TITS
VERY DISAPPOINTING.

The One Favorable Announcement is the
Free Buying in the Interior of Some of
the Western States-Active Trade in the
Observation-Disclosures in the South Re-
mains Unchanged.
New York, March 20.-Bradstreets to-
morrow viii say: General trade
throughout the United States for the
first quarter Of 1896 is disappointing.
When the Improvement in industrial
and commercial lines between March
and September, 1895, is recalled, occur
ring, as it did, two years after the pam
ic of 1898, reason would seem to have
been behind the confidence that the
current calendar year would bring a
general revival But the most faVora-
BILE reports are those who declare the
volume of business only equal to, In a
few instances in excess of, the like total
one year ago.
The fact that interior merchants are
buying more freely in Missouri, Kan
sas, Oklohoma and parts of Nebraska,
where the snow and rain have prepared
the soil for the crops, constitutes almost
the one favorable announcement for the
week. In almost all other parts of the
country east of the Mississippi stormy
weather had tended to check the vol
ume of business and further strict col
lections. AS a consequence hides, leath-
er and shoes are weaker, in some in
stances lower. Ginghams and prints
have sold for less money within the
week, the demand for American wooden
goods remains in marked contrast to
the active request for like goods of for
eign make, and quotations for some
grades of iron are lower than last week,
without prospect of immediate I'M
provement Wholesale trade in men )
wear, including clothing, is depressed
by heavy stocks carried over, and low
quotations for domestic wool have sent
some abroad.
While distribution of merchandise at
the northwest is not as active as a few
weeks ago, it is of larger volume than
a year ago. Country bankers in that
and in regions further south have been
withdrawing Chicago balances, but
dent of the revival of the country de-
mand. General business at the south
remains unchanged, and at Portland
and Tacoma, on the Pacific coast, also.
Some improvement is reported at Seat
tie, and lumber mills in the state of
Washington are expected to advance
prices soon. There is a sharp decline
in total exports of wheat, flour included
as wheat, from both coasts of the Unit
ed States, this week the total amount
ing to only 1,592000 bushels, against o.
401, 900 bushels last week and 2,9SS.00
bushels in the week a year ago. This
is the smallest grand total of exports
of what with wheat flour included)
since the last week of July, 1895. tx
ports of Indian corn this week amount
to 100000 bushels. In addition to re-
actions in quotations noted prices for
wheat flour, wheat, pork and lard and
lower while those for Indian corn, SUI
gar, both raw and refined, cotton and
for crude and refined petroleum are
higher The continued advance in the
price for cotton, in the face of reduc-
lions in quotations for manufactured
products thereof, during a fortnight, in
dicates that expectations of a large
new crop have attracted attention
from the comparative shortage of pres
ent supplies.
The more moderate volume of gen
eral trade is reflected in bank clearings,
the weeks total continuing the recent
tendency to get below the billion mark
There is, nevertheless, an increase In
aggregate amounting to S.5 per cent
over last week and 2.5 per cent com
pared with the third week of March
1895. The unusually large number OF
business failures taking place during
the first quarter of the current yeal
promises to make a record. The tota
for the current week throughout is 30t
or Is more last, As more than in the
like week in 1895 and 103 more thar
in the corresponding week of 1894.
Business in the province of Ontario
is duller than expected. There, as il
the province of Quebec, country road
| ways cotinue heavy and transaction:
with. interior merchants are unfavor
! ably effected Jobbers at Toronto anC
Montreal report business in some line!
about equal to that of a year ago
| though collections are difficult to maxi
| and there is more demand for renewals
| than usual. Trade in Nova Scotia il
| dull and collections poor. In New
Brunswick business is of fair volume
| there is a good movement of curet
| fish, and shipments of lumber to TIL
| United States are increasing. The out
look for the Newfoundland sealing flee
| is good Bank clearings at Winnipeg
| Hamilton, Montreal and Halifa,
amount TO SIT 599, 900 this week, nearl.
| ST COO, 900 less than last week and $500,
| 600 less than in the corresponding weel
a year ago. Business failures in tn
! Dominion of Canada number 40 for tn
current week against DO in the CORE
| c,,npdipcr week of 1895