The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-15
BUSINESS NOT VERY BRISK.
CONFIDENCE INCREASING But
TRADING SLOW.

r,,ectations Not Realized by the
General situation Throughout the
counfry-ImPrOvem in Prices
and Demand Confined to Few
riues-Busfness UnfaVOrabIy Eff
f.cted by the Weather, CIOsenes<
NJ Money and Continued Inaetion
Of Congress.
,-sv- York. Feb. AR. G. Dun & Co. will
~ tomorrow, in their weekly review OF
- THE failures for the first week OF
1,sr-uarv were S4,079,6S0. against S2,909,S9J
last wear. Manufacturing were S2,S72,255.
s~ainst s729. 34S last year. and S1,59i.072 in
,.ai and trading were S1,626. AZ, against
81 ga sgf last year and S2,4S5.5S5 in 1894. The
f,iures for the week have been 81 in the
1-pired States, against go last year, and
s. i'm Canada, against 81 last year. The
weather still binders business, as do the
continued closeness of money and pro-
longed inaction of congress, but conf
5ence increases. There is a little more
demand for some manufactured products;
evports improve with yielding prices or
stables. and for the week from New York
exceed last years 80 per cent, while i'm
rorts have increased Is per cent.
Pig iron at the east and at Chicago
has not advanced, southern competition
continuing at prices so low that several
Alabama furnaces have stopped, but Bes-
semer is a shade lower at Pittsburg. The
demand for plates, sheets and wire nails
continues fairly good and there are more
orders for railroad cars and bar iron a;
Chicago, but no further sales of rails APP
pear. and the demand for finished prod
uo,s keeps but about 20 per cent. of the
capacity employed. The coke output is
again much reduced. Copper is a shade
frmer. while tin and lead are not active
and unchanged.
The demand Tor BOOTS ana SHOES is still
disappointing. Some makers get good or
derS for wOmen'S light shoes, but others
scarcely any, and Boston shipments thus
far are p per cent. less than last year.
Textile work shows little change
though the cut in print cloths and general
concessions in brown and bleached sta
pies, averaging for the whole list quoted,
6 per cent. since Jan. l, induced more
buying, which the known accumulation of
goods ahead of the demand has hindered
Many mills are reporting great profits
last year from the rise of cotton, but the
prospects of a larger crop this year does
not promise a repetition of such gains
Though goods still average l2.7 per cent
above their lowest point year ago, cot
ton is now a per cent. higher than it was
then. The sales of wool nave been small
for two weeks of February, but prices
goods 10 this country, incline holders of
wool here 10 make no concessions so that
manufacturers have the more difficulty in
meeting competition.
Cotton receipts at this season, never
large still indicate a supply for the cur
rent crop year. including stocks brought
over, much in excess of the worlds needs,
so lhdt the prospect OF increased acreage
mas the more power TO depress prices
and spot cotton has declined an eighth
Tor the week. The exports in January
Is haVn los . ~
prices were 40 per cent. higher.
The clearings for the week are 10. (
per cent. larger than last year, but are
III per cent. less than in 1893 !"
Bradstreets review tomorrow will saw.
The general business situation through
out the country does not meet anticipa-
Nons, ana except at a few cities-Balti-
more and Pittsburg in the east; Chicago.
St LOUIS and Omaha in the west; Calves
ION, Chattanooga and Atlanta at the
sOuln-IemalnS dull for the season in
most instances disappointly so. Improve
ment IN demand and prices is confined tn
nrues, iedther ana boots and shoes, which
are conspicuous in the short list of stables
lot when prices are higher.
me features Of the situation are those
resulting from unfavorable weather east
diIu IN the central west reaction in prices
OF IRON and steel, further complaints bv
"oOlen manufacturers, outlook for
ta0Fe Iqle wooden machinery, a smaller
total OF bank clearingS, continued stiff
ness, maintenance of high rates for loans
Notwithstanding the favorable differences
W WI nun lilt ucdNN OkeI-SuDSCrlDtlOQ
20 the government bond issue and restrict
ca production of pig iron.
The January gross railway earnings
are very encouraging, showing a larger
percentage of gain than in any previous
month but one for three years.
Makers of cotton goods insist that
prices must advance or the cost of the
raw material decline, in the face of which
Job6erS are cutting the prices of cotton
goods.
Wholesale dealers in paints and glass
anticipate heavy building operations in
tIle spring and report large orders placed
IN anticipation thereof
Lower prices are recorded for pork
iard, corn, wheat, flour and live stock,
IN addition to cotton, steel billets and Bes-
semer pig iron, indicating a partial re-
1ersal or the general tendency of prices
o. Ieadlng staples to advance exhibited in
late weeks.
No change in the quotations for coal.
lumber, petroleum and print cloths is re-
poIled, while in addition to the advances
Tor leather and for hides, prices of oats,
coffee and sugar are higher.
me total volume of bank clearings
cropped off ten per cent. this week the
total being $1,000 600.
me total number of business failures
reported throughout the United States
WIS week is 38l, an exceptionally large
nu1beT, the gain, as compared with last
week, being 43. Most of the increase is
SS3pIalned by returns from the Central
western states and the Pacific coast"
GUESSING on HOGS.