The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-12-12
CONDITION OF TRADE.
NO lNPRovEMENT ExCEPr ~ MOI
fDAY SPtCItLTIs>.
Money IL Abundant-The Rush ofbeferred
Orders Has Not COMMUNICATIONS oil
Rusineas L. smaller Than Last Year.

NEW YORK. Dec. Ii.-Bradstreets to-
morrow will say:
There has been no Improvement in gen
erai trade this week. except In holiday
xpecialties. At Augusta. Louisville. Nash-
villa Charleston, Chattanooga, Cincinnati
and Memphis. the condition OF business Is
unchanged. Like reports come from Glove
land. Providence, Chicago. Omaha, ana
Duluth. where activity is confined TO inc
retail demand for holiday goods and re-
quests for aplcs continues MODERATE
The situation at Milwaukee Galveston,
and Birmingham. Ala, Is characterized
~ disappointing. but at st. faul an1
Minneapolis there Is more active Ac'' .,'i
for drugs. groceries, shoes, ana ht'S' "4
~ Jacksonville. Savannah, Atlanta .n'
New Orleans for staple goods. pia'iipu
ton of merchandise In Texas mas oc't
checked 10y those VINO nave n ,t.' -
GOTTEN awaiting higher prices. DnscaSo'
able weather has again delayed Ntil"hn
for winter goods. and tho approach Oh
the period for stock taking VIII proiohs
she season OF dullness wen into neat
month. ....,,,.,,-
The tendency Of prices is moro conspicu-
ously downward. noticcabiy for Bessencr
mig iron. steel billcts. rails, hides. iedthci;
hour, wheat, corn. oats. ldrd, COTTON, anu
Defroleum. Comparatively STEADY qu"ta-
lions are reported for raw WOOL pIlht
cloths lumber. pork. and sugar. Coffee
10 higher. 49,, -.,.,,. as
November gross railroad earnings as
expected are tho poorest Tor over Two
wears Total November earnings OF ITO
companies aggregate $Sl54, 49, decrease
of 10 per cent. from 1880, when thtrc WIS
q gain of 6.3 per cent. over NoNomOel'
issi. en-
Rank clearings show the expected fan
ing of. amounting to S1055.1O00p. or j.
per cent. less than IN the pie'eou'"e
week. ..
cd In the United States this week, an
other Increase as compared with Inc
average I'm recent weeks. and IS more than
In the like week, one year ago.
II. G. DUN q co.
NEW YORK. Dec. li.-R. c. Dun x
Co. In their weekly review OF tfiue' say
The approach OF the holidays ana doubt
about the action Of Congress put OIL
further Improvement until the new year.
While Industries have gained I'm work
Ing force they are waiting Tor common
surate gain in demand and meanwhile
are trying to clear away cmbnrrnssmcnis
which restrict them. Speculation mas
been hating and tmid. There IS no sober
minded fear Of foreign difficulty, but some
have succeeded i'm imagining that Con
rress might 20 so far beyond the Ircsi-
dents prudent message regarding Cuba
as TO embroil this country with Spain.
Money is I'm abundant supply. lending 10
10 cause less activity in general business
except that the rush Of orders deferred
until after the election has not been con-
tinued.
The volume Of business shown by clear
inrs has been for the week 30 per cent.
smaller than last year. Sconty returns
for December embraced so bad report
OF ST Paul that they nave fallen l64
per cent. below those Of 1S2. and earn
ings on United States roads amounting
10 s27 COG 2GG in November We're 100 per
cent. less than last year and 12.2 per
cent. less than in 1892.
COTTON DECLINES.
Cotton has declined 3-l6 in spite Of an
the stories that the crop has been nearly
marketed ana continues To come forward
steadily With over J,VUO,UOJ bales in
sight, there are estimates based on Gov
eminent reports that the yield ls 500. ulu
bales or less. which would leave but
$4,000 bales to come forward in eight
months and three weeks. Nhen the Of
fetal report first came there was "a rush
of buyers. few minutes turned The cur
rent and rapid decline followed.
The iron output on December list was
14227S tons weekly. against l2f,U11 No
vcmber LIST and 213.7JI "a year ago, ana
unsold stocks reported were @l,9Ol tons
smaller than November LIST, but these do
not include stocks of the great steel com
panies. The entire industry Is for the
time demoralized by uncertainty regard
ing the great combinations.
Textile industries are working larger
force than i'm October. but there is not
much evidence of larger demand. ana
some kinds of goods are accumulatine.
As raw cotton IS lower some Nieiuing M
prices of staples is expected and buying
Is on that account. more restricted
few qualities OF good, having slightly
declined. Print cloths are weak I'm tone
with enormous stocks. WOollcn goods
are not I'm better demand. and there is
general indisposition 10 make commit
mcnts ahead. Sales Of wool ina two weeks
--1437S 900 pounds against IL WH 2n last
year-are this year largely between the
traders. as the mills find at present lit
tie encouragement to buy and London
sales are shade weaker. Quotations
are not changed. though more frequent
concessions are reported.
Failures for the week have been $50 In
the United States, against 1913 last year.
and ~ in Canada. against - last year.