Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-01-11
little CHANGE.
Business Improvement Held
Back by Several Causes.
Industrial Situation Improved Bank
CIearings Show Large Increase.
The December Railroad Earnings Were Among
the Best for 1895.


New York Jan. l0-Bradstreets, to-
morrow, will say: The general trade has not
Appreciably improved. Some wholesale
houses are sending out travellers, while
Others have not completed taking account
of$tock The mild weather at Western
points has interfered with business In
some instances and continues to present
the characteristics of the between. seasons
period. The impression is general that
the uncertainty as to the financial action
by Congress and the disturbing political
conditions have an unfavorable Influence
on the prospect for new enterprises.
Mercantile collections in the East. West
and Northwest are complained of. At the
South the comparative ease with which
they are made forms a conspicuous excep-
ton. The demands for funds at the vari
GUS Eastern centers is the most active for
the year. The stocks of the wholesalers
at many of the larger interior distributing
points are low. The first advices of sales
men on the road are of moderate demand
for goods improvement showing itself first
i'll dry goods shoes and clothing.
The general industrial situation is
moderately improved. In no department
are there more unfavorable conditions
than week ago The idlcness of some
steel mills and the certainty that the pro
duction of pig iron will be cur,a,led, have
produced better feeling. The cut of IL
for Southern pig iron is backed by the
blowing out of three stacks. Wooden in
dustries remain unchanged. Wool is
stronger on the proposed increase of duty.
Cotton goods ara firm with limited de
mand, owing to the position of raw cot
ton, the latter having advanced nearly ii
half from the lowest price, the former only
about q seventh. The shipments of shoes
has increased. Six New England ccnters
forwarded 100, 900 cases within the week
against 20, 900 the week before, and 50,
600 In the like week, last year.
The course of prices of staples continues
an Improvement of last week, with
an upward movement in live stock, pork,
other meats, lard -four, wheat, corn, oats,
bessemer pig and bar iron. In addition
TO there, there are firm prices named for
coal, tobacco, print cloths, steel billets,
sugar, lumber, leather, hides. the de
creases being noted for coffee, cotton,
petroleum, In addition to the cut OF 81 for
Southern pig and 25 cents for Eastern
iron.
The comparative prices for 100 staples,
quarterly for live years show that the
prices for the following are higher than
one. two and three years ago: Mackercl
molasses, sugar, raisins. Buenos Ayres
hides, helnlock leather Eastern sheetings,
Southern pig iron, quicksilver, Southern
coke, Pennsylvania coke, crude and re-
fined petroleum, naphtha, rosn, nails
alum, carbolic arid, nitric acid, sulphuric
acid, quinine and rubber. The following
are higher than one and two years
ago: Peas, peanuts cotton, Southern sheet
ings, silk, anthracite pig iron, copper lead
turpentine, glass, spruce, alcohol and
tobacco. Rice, cranberrics and currants
are higher than two years ago.
The following are higher than a year
ago: Flour sheep, mutton, lemons. wool
hemp, flax, prints, ginghams, iron ore,
bessemer pig iron, steel billets, rails and
beams, silver, tiE. soft coal, castor oil, hi
carbonate soda, borax, caustic soda hay
and cottonseed. Out of l07 staples quoted
only Al are lower, today, than Jan. l,
1895, 55 are lower than two years ago, and
70 lower than Jan. J. 1893, prior to the
panic.
The export of wheat Ulour included as
wheat) from both coasts of the United
compared with 1857, 600 in the week 4
year ago.
The December gross railway earnings
are among the best of 1895, as far an in
crease is concerned. Only one month
showed larger gain. The increase in
December is larger than that in October
or November although the volume Of bust
ness in each of these months was larger.
The total earnings of 100 roads for Dccen
Der were Sal, 71S 100, an decrease Of IS
per cent. over 1894; for 1895, the total
earnings of 10 roads with 10, 5000 miles
I of track, WAS s5l0,972, $780, a gain over
1894 of 5.2 per cent This increase is fol
lowed by decrease IL gross earnings in
1914 from 1898 of per cent 1888 show
ing a falling off of 2.l per cent from
1892 The largest gain is shown in 1898
by groups Of roads were by central West
ems, per cent; grangers, rs per cent. ;
Pacific. rs per cent The trunk lines
show Il gain of ) per cent, the Southern
lines 2.2 per cent the Southwestern roads
2 per cent.
The bank ciGarings aggregate 1885,
900, 900, this week, an increase of about
25 per cent over the week before. - per
cent. over the week o year ago, more than
that over the corresponding week of 1894,
10 per cent. less than the like total in
1893 l2 per cent. smaller than the cor
responding total in 1892.
There were 446 failures in the United
States, this week, against 405 in the week
u year ago.
SPA 400 DEDUCTED.