Omaha daily bee., 1896-04-04
TRADE IMPROVEMENT BEGUN
Not Visible in All Lines but Is Distino
in Others.
STEEL OPERATORS MUCH OF A FACTOR
Gigantic Combination of Interests EN-
pcctcd to Have Great Influence
in Sustaining Markets
Generally.

NEW YORK, April ar. @. Dun & Co.'S
weekly review of trade, which is issued
tomorrow, will say: The regular quarterly
statement of failures shows 4,O31, with liza
billties of sol, 425, 1856. against $500 last year,
with liabilities Of 81, SlS, SIS, and 1904 in the
same quarter of 1894, with liabilities of
$54, l27, 1893. The average liabilities were S14,-
2i6. against $l2,57 last year, and $4,000 in
1894. Manufacturing failures were S3,
against 65l last year, with liabilities of
S2j,501, 1926, against $40, 223, 99l last year: in
crease 1872 per cent, but the decrease in
comparison with 1894, is 1874 per cent. The
trading failures were BIS. with liabilities
of $3l,42i,3l2, against S25, 1884 last year;
increase 209 per cent, but in comparison
with 1894 the decrease is SO per cent.
The ratio Of defaulted liabilities to pay
ments through clearing houses was $4.45
per $1,000, the average, previous ten years
having been 1927 and the average per firm in
vious ten years. The main increase over last
year has been in manufacturing failures in
and in failures in Texas and Minnesota, owing
to two recent large defaults. Other commercial
tically all the increase being at the south. Bank
ing failures have been %ffty-one. against thirty
s4,75i,s7 against siS, 4s2,5s7 last year. More than
half the entire banking defaults were in the
The Improvement expected with spring weather
has begun. though. In SOM branches OF business
- - SNh'N''s 'S''' ~ MANI w ilE
purchases. they must lessen stocks and C mpcl
buying. The stocks taken in advance of last
more slowly than was expected, but months of
waiting have helped to lessen the load which
backward season has been a hindrance, as has
also been the number of hands unemployed in
products. Apprehension of foreign financial diff
f%culties have hindered, but are now scarcely
season are so far natural that they have no
such power to cause alarm, az they had in the
The gigantic steel combination is expected to
have a great influence in sustaining markets
and stimulating confidence, and though such
operations. often miss the succ= IS they seek they
rarely fail to kindle speculative buying for a
let's n week ago has raised Bessemer pig 81 ut
Pittsburg, and the demand for structural forms
associations have given notice OF another advance
Of 10 cents at the end of this month. Bars have
hope to re-establish the combination, as steel
bars viii become dcarer. But one foundry is
demand for finished products does not yet i'm
prove. The steel concerns prop1se to restrict
produce less. Orders. for lake copper are So
a single buyer lifted tin to sis.55' ''
The wooden manufacturer does not gain in
stopped. Prices of wool have falle, ~ per cent,
the average of 1Oi quotations being 1852 cents.
month since 1894, and for the quarter were only
5.147, $50 pounds. of which 3O,916, 200 pounds was
foreign. against 9.0Sl, as pounds last year, of
which 20, 25S, $50 pounds was foreign. Cotton mills
still pile up goods in advance of orders. as re-
auctions in prices have failed as yet to stimulate
buying. Speculation in products has been tame.
Cotton continues to come forward 50 largely that
former predictions of $500. 900 bales are remem-
bered with derlsion. and the outlook for the next
crop continues good.
Wheat has slightly advanced. and if late re-
ports of injury from extensive frosts and storms
prove correct. will advance more, though west
ern receipts continue nearly SO per cant larger
than last year; and for five weeks past have
been IL. $50, 40 bushels, against 1881, 3T2 bushels
last year. while Atlantic exports have been only
6, 1873, 1872 bushels, flour included, against S.435, FOL
bushels last year. Corn exports are larger and
receipts also heavy, but pork has declined 10
ccnts per barrel. r..