The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-01-25
THE CONDITION OF TRADE
SUMMARY OF THE COUNTRIES FI-
 NANCES BY BRADSTREETS.

SUMMARY OF THE COUNTRIES IT,
 NANCEs BY BRADSTREETS.
 Volume of General Trade in the West Has
 Increased-The Most Favorable Reports
 Are From Baltimore Where Orders Are
 Received Freely.
 New York, Jan. 24.-Bradstreets to- morrow will say: An analysis of special telegrams from the more important business centers throughout the coun- try shows considerable irregularity in trade, the most favorable feature being the tendency of staple prices to ad- vance. The last drop in iron and steel was one of the shortest on record. Re striction of production of pig iron and advances form 1895 proved sufficient stimulus to put quotations for Bessemer pig up $1@$2 a ton at western centers. The impression prevails that these prices are likely to be maintained. The comparatively unfavorable business features are the somewhat disalppoint- ing character of the opening of spring trade in leading staple lines and small totals of bank clearings. At such cen- ters as Chicago and St. Louis reports are made that interior merchants have been disappointed in the seasons busi- ness and are buying somewhat more sparingly than expected, although many johbers at these cities report that tray elers for clothing, dry goods, shoe and hardware houses are taking fair orders for spring delivery. Most favorable re- ports regarding the movement of mer- chandise, present and prospective, arc from Baltimore, where orders are being received freely and prospects for spring trade are bright; from Buffalo, where the money market is reported more &C., tive than for two years past, and from Charleston, where almost all leading jobbers report an improvement in busi- ness The Increased activity in leading money markets is noticeable at Provi- dence and Boston, where commercial paper Is being more closely scanned. At target western centers money is easier, with lower rates for exchange on New York.
 On the Pacific coast, Tacoma reports the price of wheat relatively higher than at Chicago, owing to the demand from South Africa, whence also come orders for lumber. There is interest at taching to the announcement that ten carloads of Mobile cotton are at Taco ma awaiting shipment to Yokohoma.
 The volume of general trade has in creased in Seattle and business is fair ly active at San Francisco, where stocks of wool are low. Prices have ad- vanced for wheat flour, Indian corn and oats, and the upward movement of pork continues. Scarcity of Cuban sugar and promise of a demand for European sup plies appear behind the advance in su- gar, while higher prices for cotton are based ols a better export demand. less warlike indications abroad and the i'm precision that the size of the domestic crop has been overestimated in some in stances. While. domestic goods are un- changed, foreign wools are held higher owing to the demand abroad Print cloths are firsm and unchanged, as are quotations for lumber lard and for cof- fee Leather, petroleum and copper are lower. The advance of three cents in wheat raises the question whether the beginning of the end of the long period of depression of cereal prices has come. Supplies of wheat for leading importing markets are now controlled by Russia and the United States. India's as we'll as Argentina's ability to ship is much restricted, compared with previous years, and Australia left the list of ex- porters when she began to import wheat from San Francisco recently. Domestic wheat stocks are larger than earlier of1i- cial and trade estimates. but the export demand has so increased that the bulls are counting on higher prices.
 Total exports of wheat (fiour included as wheaD from both coasts of the Unit ed States this week amount to 9,S49,000 bushels, compared with 2,840,000 in the week a year ago.
 Exports if Indian corn aggregate B. SS5, ,OOO bushels this week
 Total bank clearings throughout the United States amounted to $9SO,000,000 this week, a decrease of per cent. from the preceding Week, but an in- crease of nearly per cent. compared with the corresponding week in Janu- ary last week.
 Business failures in the United States this week number 341, compared with 321 year ago..
 There is a good movement of spring goods at Toronto. Trade conditions at Montreal are less favorable than year ago and there are more failures now than then. The unreasonable weather is a special cause of the depression in the Dominion. Failures of jobbers in shoes in the west have resulted in loss es to Quebec City manufacturers. Hal flax reports stocks of produce through out Nova Scotia large, but prices low and country roads still bad. Bank clearings at Winnipeg, Hamilton, To- ronto, Montreal and Halifax amount to S19,667 ,000 this week, against 18,400, 900 in the week yearsago. There were 52 failures in Canada this week, against 3S a year ago.
 St. Peter's and the Vatican.