Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-05-16
BRADSTREETS
Says General Trade Remains
About the Same.
Most Favorable Reports
Come From Western States.
Bank ciearings Aggregate Si,019,000, 900
Other Features Of Weekly Bulletin.

New York, May Observation-Disclosures, to-
morrow, will say: General trade
throughout the country remains quiet,
wholesale merchants continue con-
servative. and the distribution of gen.
eral merchandise is almost of the hand
to- mouth character. In the South and
fcstureless. unchanged from last week.
At the larger Eastern centers travellers
are preparing to start out. The I'M
favorable features in recent weeks with
respect to cotton. wooden, steel and iron
Industries show no change. The col
lcctions in most directions continue I'M
satisfactory.
The concessions made in the prices
of wool and the manufacture of cotton
goods complain that prices are below
parity with the cost of the raw mate
rial Tobacco is depressed by the trade
embarrassments and quotations are
weaker, except for Havana. The de-
mand for iron and steel Is disappoint
ing and the quotations for bcssemer pig
have been shaded further. The un
seasonablc weather had an unfavorable
influence on the sales of clothing and
othar staples. Labor disturbances at
some Western cities have checked the
demand. Tho request for lumber is
smaller than anticipated. The dry
weather al the South emphasized the
Iullncss Of last week.
Relatively the most favorable reports
as to trade. this week. come from Hi
uois. Missouri Kansas Iowa and Ne
braska. Jobbers supplying that region
report the demand for hardware shoes
dry goods and notions more active.
and mercantile collections have Inn
proved The recent rains had a very
favorable influence on the crops in
Kansas and Missouri, This has tended
to make the merchants regard the out
look more favorahly and stimulate pur-
chascs. The demand for Lake tonnage
and canal frelghts stimulated trade.
New England boot and shoe factories
report prices firmcr. with an OUTLOOK
favcring advance. The agricultural
and live stock interests in the Dakotas
are reported in excellent condition. The
unfaYorable weather in Oregon has
checked trade at Portland Business
at Seattle has been improved by hotter
weather. Heavy shipments of mer-
chaadise have been sent To Central
America Tacoma telegraphs that this
Washington wheat crop promises to be
the largest on record, and San Fran
cisco that the damage to the California
grape crop by frost resulted in higher
prices for wine. In addition to bet
ter feeling and stronger values Tor
leather and hides. steel rail mills have
sold two tons product. this year. to one
ton. last year The fact that few pig
iron furnaces are turning out much, II
not more, iron this month than last, in
dicates an usually large volume of con-
tracts placed prior to the late nominal
advance in quotations.
The more important changes in quota
lions for staples include the advances Tor
nails cotton, oats. and decreases Tor PIE
iron wool petroleum. flour. wheat and
pork with steel nominally unchanged OF
shaded. according to the character OF the
sale
The exports of wheat flour included rs |
wheAD from both coasts Of the United
states this week were $4,000 bushels.
'fhe bank clearings throughout the
| -nited States this week. aggregated |
Sf.0ia, o1.n@. a decrease of II per cent
IL per cent compared with the CORE
sponding week. last year. The total
earnings OF 1a6 railroads. with $4,000 miles
of track aggregate SS6S5l.Goa in April.
granger roads still make the best show !
ing with the Pacific roads next For four
months this year. the gross earnings
show an increase of per cent. over 1893,
following an increase i'll 1879 over 1875 OF
nearly 1 per cent.
There were 265 failures throughout the
United States. this week. against 2l0 i'll
the week. one year ago