The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-11
rnE CONDITION or TRADE.
Bradstreets Review of the Affairs of the
Country,

general increase IN business there are
several encouraging features. First,
the advance in prices of flour, wheat,
corn, oats, pork and sugar, together
with that for steel billets and beams
and other iron manufactures, and for
tin plates. The advance in what has
continued so much longer than expect
ed that the traders are again discuss
ginning of the long advance for cere.
ais, which they believe must come after
the depression of the past few years
UnfaVorable crop reports from central
western states, confirmation of preyi-
Gus short crop reports from Argentine
and Australia, small supplies in Europe
and af1oat therefor, but, above all, u
revival of speculative interest in wheat,
are underneath cereal prices. Advices
from Buenos Ayres explain the lack OF
an available supply of wheat at Argen-
tine ports as due to the failure of the
wheat crop"
Higher iron and steel prices have
checked demand, and trade in those
metals is smaller than for weeks past.
The new steel combine antagonizes a
number of large producers, not men,
bers, as well as makers of cotton ties
and tin plates, to whom high-cost raw
material means competition from
abroad. In view of practically station
ary production Of pig iron during
March and a $4,000 ton increase Of fur
mace stocks, the latest advances in Bes-
semer pig iron is less logical than that
for billetS.
Brighter and more seasonable wealth.
er east and rains in Missouri, Kansas
and Nebraska have tended to stimulate
the demand for general merchandise.
Renewed activity is also shown by lu1n-
Der, now that the building season is
open, and by paints, oils, glass and
other structural materials, for like rea-
sons.
There are only few cities reporting
moderate improvement in general
business. st. Louis, Kansas City and
Omaha are thus conspicuous, but even
there the gains are slight. st. Paul.
only fairly satisfactory spring bust
ness. At San Francisco business has
not been active, but is better. Ex-
ports of general merchandise from Sc
attic and of the same of lumber from
Tacoma continue to attract attention.
On the other hand wholesale mer-
chants at New York, Boston, Phila-
delphia, Buffalo, Baltimore, Detroit
and Chicago report business unsatis-
factory, practically without improve
ment. One of the most unfavorable
features is the continued inability of
interior merchants to make remit
where trade is less active than antic-
ipated, many wholesalers do not look
for an increase, owing to the lateness
of the season.
Demand for wool is smaller, has al
most disappeared. Stocks of terri
tory wools are unusually heavy, and a
large proportion of them will have to
staple is at a standstiH Dry goods
continue depressed, shirtings and 9TH
er cotton goods refusing to move free
ly, Notwithstanding cuts in prices.
Leather is also lower and large orders
for shoes have been placed because
of lower uotations. The list of nota-
BILE price reactions also includes those
for wool and petroleum, while cotton,
print cloths and coffee prices are sub
stantially unchanged.
Exports of wheat (four included as
wheat) from both coasts of the United
States amount to 1,764000 bushels this
week, compared with 2,934,000 last year.
Indian corn exports amount to 1891,
600 bushels this week compared with
S14, 900 bushels in the week a year ago.
900 this week. The decrease as com
pared with last week is rs per cent,
and as compared with the week one
year ago, nearly per cent. Compared
with the corresponding week of 1894
there is an increase of Z per cent. in
like weeks in preceding years show
considerable decreases. Total earn
ings of lis railroad companies from
March are $36, ,698, 900, an increase OF
sc per cent Ger a year ago. In jan
uary and February the gains over the
year before were, respectively, 11.3 and
1877 per cent. The granger roads in
crease 21 per cent, while the Pacific
roads gain 17.S per cent. over a year
per cent, and those of southwestern
roads 5.4 per cent, while the gain OF
the trunk lines is only Is per cent
southern roads IL per cent, and CEN
trail westerns less than half of l pei
cent. For three months the earnings
of companies exceed those of a
year ago by 9.5 per cent, following a
decrease of per cent. in March yea1
ago from the like month in 1894.
Business failures in the United States
this week number 231, compared with
225 in the week a year ago.
Bradstreets quarterly exhibit of COM
parative prices of 10S staple articles
including live stock, show higher quo
tations for 2S products of April 1, 1895
with 5S which are lower and is which
are unchanged, in contrast with corrc-
spending quotations on January l.
Contrasted with one year ago, there are
increases of quotations for 4S items
while are unchanged and 80 are low
er. Various selected lists of quotations
for food products among those quoted
indicate that within the past five years
their average price has declined from
% to 33 Is per cent. Wholesale trade
at Toronto and generally throughout
Ontaria remains quiet. The like is true
at Montreal. except that there is moro
activity in hardware. AT Quebec city
business remains duh and unsatisfac-
tory. Unfavorable weather in Nova
Scotia. continues to act as check on
business while heavy country road