The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-10
CONDITION OF BUSINESS.
DISTINCTLY BETTER CONDITIONS
HAyE APPEARED OF LATE.
The Rssistiess Laws of supply and De-
ma nd Responsible for Great Fart OF
tho Change-somc Features.


Co. will say tomorrow in their weekly
Review OF Trade.
Distinctly better conditions have ap-
peared OF late, and are rejected III some
what larger employment OF labor, IN
large transactions, ana An continued buy
ing OF materials for manufacture.
n great part OF the change is due to
those roslstiess laws OF supply and
demand, when take wheat as II Is want
ed, and gold where it is wanted. India
Is waiting for cargoes OF wheat on the
way from Pacinc states, just as Aus
tralia and South Africa were not long
aSO. The surplus usually available from
India disappears, and the surplus from
Isussia ana European countries Is re-
duced, acco, ding 10 late estimates, 15.OvO,-
~ Dusn-D,. happily, this country has
a supply which official accounts have
not correctly measured. IL actual move
mcnts do not greatly mislead.
a feature of large importance. too. is
the unusually heavy foreign demand for
corn, which IS u rarely falling sign Of
deficient crops abroad. where other
grains are used instead, when wheat
becomes scarce and dear.
IL IS another good sign that railroad
earnings. amounting TO SIS. 7i5.3ls in the
Il
smaller decrease than in Augustus per
cent, against 81, compared with last
yer.
Iron furnaces in blast October ist had
capacity OF H. s2 tons weekly, against
l-9ND September LIST, and III. 30o No
yember LIST last year, while unsod stocks
decreased 50, ~ tons. but IL those of steel
making concerns were included, would
EIHI OBJ. tt..V -
materials continues but Bessemer is
shade weaker-Sll.4O at Pittsburg. The
demand for products is SO light and
so much business Is held back. pending
the election. that decreasing output is
not an unhealthy sign. There was
quite 4 good demand for sheets, and
especially at the West. and rather better
Tor pipes. and outside concerns are get
ting large contracts in steel and iron bars
and IN nails. but prices have not yet
been reduced. Minor metals change lit
Tie. with slightly better demand for
copper. lead quiet. and tin weaker. be-
cause the visible supply. IS. 100 tons. Is
o'NV greater than a year ago. Some
competing American manufacturers are
making large sales OF l0O-pound tin
plates at 50. 20. The outward movement
or money 10 the Interior has been $1,000
90 Tor the week, and little is doing in
commercial loans. with rates about one
hat per cent. higher than week ago.
Fanures Tor the week were POS In the
united states, against 26S last year; and
% IN canada. against 80 last year.
NEW YORK, oct. 9.-Bradstreets to-
morrow will say:
Colder weather. continuing heavy re-
ceipts of cotton and wheat and other IN
huence, have stimulated the demand for
staple goods at various points. bu, the
volume OF trade remains moderate. with
out material change from a week ago.
Inc tendency at some centres is 10 n
smaller volume Of trade. but the general
OUTLOOK Is Tor an improved demand after
election. Except In the cotton and wheat
regions mercantile collections continue
unsatisfactory. Trade Improvement IS
reported from Atlanta Augusta. Charles
ton birmingham, Ala; New Orleans and
Texas cities.
Print cloths are lower, as are cotton.
sugar and oats. The recent advance in
wheat is firmly held as IS that in wool.
iron and steel Some varieties OF pig
iron have advanced - cents per ton.
Higher quotations have been made for
wheat. -four. Indian corn. pork. lard.
coffee. petroleum and leather.
Bank clearing throughout the United
States aggregate 100000 600 this week
Is per cent. more than last week. but
per cent. less than in the correspondent.
week one year ago.
further decline In exchange 10 the
gold importation point has resulted in
renewed engagements Of gold IN London
amounting 70 about $1,000 900. Some
further amounts may also have been TAX
on In Paris. Silver has declined on de-
creased Indian demand.
September gross railway earnings mako
a better showing than those for last Au-
gust. although both show smaller totals
than I'm the corresponding periods n year
ago. The best showing made are IN
the South and southwest. the coal roads.
one Canadian line and the trunk lines.
Decreases are found I'm returns from the
Changers Central Western and Pacilc
roads.
There are two hundred and ninetv-on~
business failures r. ported IN to United
States this week decline Of thirtv-fOur
as compared with last week. but an in
crease OF seventeen as compared with the
first week In October 1895.