The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-09-26
INCREASED coNFIDENcE
In business but General Revival
Awaits the Election


New York, Sept. 25.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow Will say: III Eastern jobbing
circles the feeling rs one of Increased
confidence. There Is more doing I'm some
staple lines. noticeably at the East and
at a few Southern cities In most other
instances purchasers continue for imme-
diate wants only. There Is little eXpec-
tation of Il general revival in business
prior to election. Throughout the GEN.
trail West and Northwest no material
change is reported in general trade
features. Exceptions are at Cincinnati
and st. Louis. where demand for staples
is larger. Savannah and Augusta report
marked Increase in volume of business,
ooth Wholesale and retail with satisfac-
tory collections. Memphis and Calves
ton report moderate gains in demand
and sales. Improvement is shown in
various commercial Industrial lines at
New York. Boston, Providence and Pitts
burg.
Improved demand for wool continues,
with an upward tendency in prices.
There Is Il better jobbing movement in
cotton goods, which are higher. Not
much more wooden machinery has been
started. Sales of woolcns are generally
Of low-cost variety. The starting up of
iron mills and furnaces is conspicuous,
but makers in some instances seem to be
anticipating demand. Stocks of pig iron
have nearly doubled since January l..
while the producing capacity has been
restricted more than one third The
better feeling in the iron and steel in
duStry is not followed as yet by CORE
spending demand
The general higher tendency of prices
of staples continues. The bank clear
ings' guage of the volume of business
brings an expected decrease as compared
with last week the falling off amounting
TO more than . per cent, the total for six
days ending Sept. "a being 1888, 600 900.
The decrease this week compared with
the corresponding week in 1895 is II per
cent.
The total number Of business failures
throughout the United States continues
large-321 this week, compared with 3l5
last week and 1893 in the fourth week OF
September, 1895.
New York, Sept. 25.-R. G. Dun & Co.
will say tomorrow in their weekly re-
view of trade: \ very moderate and vet
distinct improvement is seen. no longer
alone in the buying OF materials, which
continues and stiffens prices, but also
in orders for products of some industries,
i'll money markets and in exports of
staples. II is as yet little more than Il
step towards better things, but has al
ready started important works and
prompted a few considerable contracts.
While the gain in working force is not
noticeable, it seems that for the first
time in many months there is a net gain.
Wheat advanced * and cotton adj
vanced IL a week ago. but lost BIG, and
with full receipts might have gone fur
, thcr. Much less than the full capacity
OF mills Us working, and the demand for
goods has been quite slack with a de-
cline of 1-16 in print cloths, but in 9TH +
goods recent advances are maintained
y few of the woolen mills are resum-
| ing, the belated demand for heavy goods
constituting most OF the gain visible. but
manufacturers show confidence that
more goods will be wanted when the flu
| ture is more clear.
Finished products of iron meet more
inquiry, and the placing of contracts for
$1,000 tons of steel for three new battle
ships, for one large building here and
for several hYldges explain the starting
of two or three works. but after such
months as have passed 4 l!t;le business
| is gain. y sharp fall of 81 per ton in
| low phosphorus pig and n slight rise in
gray forge at Pitsburg and in steel
plates are the only changes noted in
prices. Exports of $4,000 tons of rails
this year at prices far below those cur
rent here. and $4,000 tons pig 20 England
at $3.50. at Manchester, freight being at
least s3.15, indicate unloading n surplus
abroad to avoid weakening markets
here.
Failures for the week have besn 3lJ
in the United States, against 2lG last
year, and SO in Canada, against 30 las,
year.