The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-16
REVIEW OF TRADE.
Weekly Opinions Advanced by X. G. Dun
h Company-Thc Shoe business boom.
iug-Thc Gencra Outlook,

weekly OpiulOuS advanced py n. N Uuu
h Compauy-The Shoe business boom
ing-Thc General outlook.
New York. May l5.-R. g. Dun and
company. will say tomorrow In their
weekly Review of Trade:
Failures for the week have been 224
In the United States against I'll last
year, and 33 in Canada against 81 last
year.
1t is now the middle Of May. too late
for business to change materially until
the prospects of coming crops are a.
sured, and definite shape has been CIV
Ell to the president contest BY the con-
ventions. Until the future Is more
clear there is disinclination to produce
much beyond orders. or to order beyond
Immediate and certain needs. II this
waiting spirit prevails two months
longer 1t will crowd into the last half
of the year an enormous business if the
outlook then Is good. For the present
there Is less business on the whole
than year ago, Though in some branch
eS, more. and the delay following
months of depression is too many try
ing and causes numerous failures.
Speculative markets are comparatively
inactive, but the stock market Is stag
| nant, and the average price OF railroad
stocks has declined less than per cent
for the week. and the average Of trust
stocks only about One-half Of one per
cent.
An attempt was made to manufacture
excitement in cotton out OF the govern.
| ment report but the prices closed ex-
actly as 1t began the week, and the port
receipts have been actually larger than
last year. All current arguments
| based Oh the assumption that the
quantity used III maiiufacture has
been OF Is now at Il maximum rate are
aisproved by the closing OF many mills
for want Of demand. and these general
efforts to- reduce wages which have
CAUSED Some strikes. AS the mill stock
In northern mills and also abroad are
much larger than usual. calculations
which ignore these tend to deceive and
the total supplies are far greater than
| requiie iiemeiits for four months consuinp-
ton. even at the maximum rate Wheat
is unchanged I'm spite VI all rumors
The railroad earnings have been for
| the first week Of May 3.S per cent larger
| than last year. showing a tribe bet
| ter than the returns for April.
SHOE BUSINESS GOOD.
The most fortunate of the chief indus
| tries at present Is the boot and shoe
manufacture, which is not only ship
ping to customers within six per cent.
| of the largest number of cases ever
| forwarded In the first half OF May.
| but Is getting many new orders. and
there are many urgent requests to an
| ticipate orders for June and July de-
| livery, indicating that distribution to
| consumers has much out run eXpecta-
| tions. Prices are unchanged at the
lowest average yet reached. but there
is rather rapid advance In hides at
Chicago and leather begins to stiffen a
little. ........ .,
Textile mills are not yet gaining.
Enormous bargain sales of cotton dress
goods and of ready made woolen cloth
ing have hindered orders at any prices
which the mills can afford to take. and
must have partly supplied needs of
consumers. For some cotton goods a
more active demand appears. and low
grade bleached are an eighth higher,
but Lonsdale and Fruit of loom bleach
cd AKA goods are cut to 6la cents. and
unsold stocks of many kinds are heavy.
Sales Of wool have been a little larger
| the past week. The large drives In
clothing have cleared our stocks of some
ready-made concerns, but check new
business. and the general disposition
is to postpone orders as far as possible