The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-01
WEEKLY TRADE REVIEW
Business During the Past Week Shows Some
Signs of Definite Improvement.
AN IMPROVEMENT IN IRON AND STEEL
Money Markets Arc Easicr--No In.
crease fn Demand for Pit Products
domestic Trade IL Smnllcr-Con-
frncts for Iron nnd steel During
she Week-cokc Cut Down.

New York. JAN 31,-R. G. Dun G. Co.
view Of trade:
Failures III three weeks of january
show liabilities of s17,s36,5lI, against
SlO,GS5,06O last year; In manufacturing
No'o6l,l29 this year, against S2,279, 1893 last
year in trading sl0,3l7, ,36O against
SS,165.267 last year. Failures this week
nave been 404 in the United States
against 1854 last year and 90 In Canada
against 81 last year.
Ihere are some signs OF definite i'm
provement. 1t is now believed that
the first payment for bonds will cause
no further pressure and the money mar
kets are easier as respects loans though
the dltlculty of making commercial
loans still checks business No increase
appears as yet In the demand for the
pit products, unless for some forms
oil iron and steel. in which good con-
tracts have been made this week DO
mestic trade recorded through clearing
houses is 6.5 per cent smaller than
a year ago.
signs of Improvement in the iron and
steer business are apparent. a con-
tract Tor 1000 tons of rails, Pacific de-
livery. taken by an Eastern concern
in competition with foreign makers, a
contract for 5000 tons plates for the
East Jersey Water Works. contracts
Tor 4,loo tons cast pipe at $500 taken
nE Alabama works, with contracts for
the Commercial cable and other build
ings covering $500 tons are the main
features, Dut there are also a better tle-
mand for wire nails after long stagna-
tiGn, aud also for sheets Pig iron is
weaker. But the average Is practically
unchanged and 11.4 per cent. below
nllrhRGt 81
mas again been cut down 1895 tons I'm a
single week
Inc cotton mills are discussing cur
tallment OF production as goods CON
tihue weak, with an output largely cx-
eceding distribution, though the week
mas brought larger spring trade.
Wooiiehs are practically unchanged.
cotton Is q shade lower than a week
ago, Notwithstanding arguments Inv
Neill ana others, but receipts from plan
tations go on at nearly the same rate
spilhers takinEs fall behind last yeor
as before. and the marketing of goods
ooes not support the brilliant estimates
Oh experts. Receipts have been larger
put spinners takings and exports arn
smaller than in lS92-'93 from cr,n IF
6, zoo. 900 bales. oi
what Bradstreet Has TO Say.
New York, Jan. 3l.-Bradstreets to-
morrow VIII say:
inc features of the week are continued
retardea demand for merchandise and
checked industrial operations Ioast
satisfactory is the waiting atiitudn ns
some OF the more important industries
Shoe factories at Philadelphia are
shutting down or running on part tj,nc
cotton goods makers regard the outIool.
Tor their product unpromising: there 10
Il reaction IN the price of steel billets:
among fifty pig iron furnaces in the
Pittsburg and Shenango districts four
teen are idle. and the position of WOODEN
goods manufacturers is shown by thf
fact that foreign wooden goods are re
lativcly most active
General trade at the close of January
proves disappointing particularly in
Central Western. Western and North
Western States, where the movement of
from jobbers has been SLOW
anu unsatisfactory, 1t being only fair
at few points.
Relatively most favorable features of
trade are found in the continued
strength of prices of leading stapIcs
the conservative attitude of wholesale
dealers and, aside from the improve
mcnt in the outlook at Pittsburg and
baltimore. the actual gain In demand for
staples at Charleston, Atlanta. Augusta.
Chattanooga, Nashville and Mcmphjs
The extraordinarily heavy movement
OF wheat and Indian corn from Southern
ports and the newly deveIopcd South
African demand for flour on the Pacific
coasts remain features at Newport
News. Galveston, New Orleans, Tacoma
and Seattle
The prospective success of the Gov
ernment bond issue. the absence of dis
turbance In the loan market and the
decline of exchange below the gold shin
ping point. combined TO create a bullish
speculation In the New York stock mar.
ke,. The new Government loan will
ii Is thought, be over-subscribed and in
tending bidders generally seem TO have
their arrangements. The
of Wall street professionals
Is TO discount the resulting Improvement
and maniDulative cliques have advanced
various stocks, finding buying support
in spite Of the hesitation of the gene
raj public. Only s500.OO0 gold was shin
ped this week Ito South America) and
several millions are en- route from Lon
don for use in the bond subscription.
Business failures throughout the
United States this week as reported ia
Bradstreds show another large IN,
crease, not only as compared with last
week. but as contrasted with the total
for the fourth week in January, 1895
1894 and 1893.
The total Is aa3 last week is was 81;
last year 3l2; in 1894, $40: in 1893, 27I
and in 1892 II was 279.
Newest Discoyery'-Ext toetb. NJ