The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-07
MODERATE IN VOLUME
What Bradstreet's Says OF the
Condition of Trade.
NO BUSINESS REVIVAL THIS YEAR.


Jobbers and Wholesalers Agreed Upon
That Point-some Activity In Holiday
Goods situation In the
Iron and steel Markets Exports OF
Wheat and Flour Failures for Week
Firm Tone In Speculative Market.
New York. Dec. 7.-Bradstreet's says:
General trade continues in moderate
volume, jobbers and wholesalers being
agreed there will be no business re-
vival this year There is some activ-
ity in holiday goods. Rains and stormy
weather south. and cold and severe
weather west and northwest have
checked traffic on interior country
roads, and otherwise interfered with the
distribution of merchandise except at
some northwestern centers. where more
seasonable weather has stimulated the
demand for heavy textiles, clothing,
hats and shoes. Throughout the GEN.
trail Mississippi valley there has been
no increase in demand in wholesale
lines. and at the south trade is char
acterized as dull. Jobbers of dry goods
report that sales for future delivery
have fallen off. Transactions in wool
have fallen off, manufacturers buying |
as they receive orders.
Unsatisfactory situation.
The situation in iron and steel is
unsatisfactory with unsettling rumors |
as to the success. of the steel pool. COM
Lee. % do.
and no likelihood of revival i'm demand
prior TO February No material change
is reported in prices for pork, print
clothes and lumber. while those for
turpentine, tobacco, cotton, sugar wheat
and flour are all higher. Exports of
wheat from both coasts of the United
States this week, flour included as
wheat, amounted to 1858, 100 bushels,
as compared with 3,753,000 bushels last
week, 3,156, 600 bushels in the first week
of December 1895, 900 bushels in
the week two years ago, 2,55S000 BUSH
els in the week three years ago. and
as compared With 4,404,0 bushels in
the corresponding week Of 1892. Ex-
ports of Indian corn from both coasts
OF the United States this week amount
to 1,76S.000 bushels, as compared with
2. 900 bushels last week. 1856, 900
bushels in the week a year ago, 1,271,-
600 bushels two years ago. 1.169. 900
bushels three years ago, and as COM
pared with $4,000 bushels in the like
week of 1892.
Business Failures.
There were 359 business failures re-
ported throughout the United States
this week, which is an increase Of sixty
three as compared with last week.
as compared with the corre-
spending week one year ago. thirty
seven as contrasted with the like week
In 1894, but a falling off OF twenty-four
as compared with the number OF busi-
ness failures in the first week OF De-
cember, 1898. The increase as com
pared with the like period in 1892 is
A large prop r.i n OF the
increased number Of failures a port
ed from the middle and New V.gland
states. There are forty-seven business
failures reported from the Dominion of
Canada this week. eleven n1ore than
last week, eight more than in the week
a year ago. fourteen more than i'm the
week two years ago and
more than in the like week of
1893.
Financial Review.
Bradstreets financial review saws: A
firmer tone has been exhibited in the
speculative share market during the
present week. The quality of the trans
actions has not improved. In the main
they are still the work of professional
traders, and public participation, as
gagged by the inactivity of commits
sion brokers, Is almost entirely lacking.
On the other hand, liquidation of long
holdings OF stocks has practically
ceased, and the bears find their efforts
% depress prices by artificial manipu-
alton does not bring out real stocks.
)ut simply increases the short interest.
The latter had. in fact. appeared to be
excessive. and the position of
he market had been one in which its
liability TO become oversold is an i'm
)ortant factor.
Closed Their Speculative Lines.
IT woud seem that some of the larg-
II bear interests have closed their spec
ilative lines on that side of the ac-
'ount, and that so far as operations of
hat sort are concerned they are due
o the disposition which the board room
clement and the smaller class of pro-
essional spectators always exhibit to
ell the market short when dullness is
he pronounced feature. The more
lopeful feeling which animates the
market seems to be due to a revision of
peculative opinion regarding the prob
lble tenor and effects of the coming
presidential message particularly in
is treatment of the Cuban question.
The current reports from Washington
Indicate that it will. so far as con-
,erns this matter, be conservative
document, which the street constructs
Is favorable to the market
Uncertainty About Congress.
There is. of course, uncertainty about
he course of congress on the Cuban
and other matters, but feeling has
grown that the short session may not
De productive of any very positive ac-
ion, though the larger specula tive in
Lerests. which, as stated above, have
ceased to act on the bear side. show
an indisposition to adopt any positive
course until congress meets and there
Is some definite basis OH which to Judge
of its policy. 1t must, however, be not
ed that this has not deferred certain
interests from instituting bullish man