The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-02-22
BRADSTREE'T'S BULLETIN.
The Weekly Report Of the State Of
Trade.
A RATHER CONSERVATIVE VIEW
OF THINGS.

Continued Export of Flour to Australia-
Earnings of the Railroads Compared
For the Week.
New York, February 21.-Bradstreet'
tomorrow will say: While no radical
improvement has appeared in the gen.
eral trade situation, more favorable in
huences are reported than for some
weeks. Among the less satisfactory ad-
vices are the check to the distri button
of general merchandise, due to the ex-
trem cold, and the continued consarva-
tive purchases by interior merchants west
and southwest, owing to large stocks of
merchandise having been carried over.
The drop in the temperature
AFFECTED THE MOVEMENT
of dry goods, hats and groceries most.
Advices from Texas are that the ooun-
try merchants are asking extensions, and
reports from the leading cities South are
that the recent relatively favorable state
of trade, is marked by less active de-
mand in almost all lines. No improve
ment is shown in the demand for cotton
and woolens goods, the manufacturers
OF each continuing to find cause for oom-
plaint Among the industries, boots and
shoes and manufactures of leather are
EASILY CONSPICUOUS
for reporting, relatively, the most active
d emand.
Pittsburg and Baltimore jobbers of
general merchandise continue their pre-
vious reports OF salts actory spring busi-
ness. Chicago jobbers, while advising
sales of dry goods millinery and shoes
thus far in excess of corresponding totals
last year, say there is more oonserva-
tive demand and less snap to business
than was anticipated. Throughout Iowa
there has been distinct improvement
In the business outlook reflected in the
larger volume of sales at Omaha
Almost all the
LARGER FINANCIAL CENTRES
report money easier, and Texas adyices
are that the weather permits plowing
and planting. At Tacoma there have
been large exports of lime and cement
to Central America. -four, wheat and
lumber to South Africa. From San
Francisco nearly 81 600 barrels of -four
have gone to Australia.
The exports of wheat (6our included
as wheat) from both coasts of the Unit
ed States this week, are 3, 149, 600 bushels,
against 1,0s8,000 in the week year ago.
Tho record of declining quotations
begun last week is continued for some
varieties of cottons, owing to the re-
nj IN ka tom
dency of quotations of wool to decline,
lower prices of wheat -four, wheat, corn,,
oats. pork, lard and petroleum. Iron
and steel is in moderate demand. A
steady request for rails relatively the
most encouraging. No change in the
quotations for lumber or coal.
THE CONSPICUOUS ADVANCES
are on coffee and sugar, although leather
is firm, after an advance for hides a week
ago. No more satisfactory view of trade
conditions in this. and the preceding
week is reported. than the bank clearings
total for the six business days ending
February 20, 1.093. 00G, 600, an increase of
II per cent over the total of last week 81
per cent over the total for the third
week Of February, 1895.
The number of failures throughout
the United States for the week are 276,
| nSo4Aeo o~f LII Uuo corresponding Week
a year ago.
The year 1895 proved more favorable to
the railroad interest of the United States
than was promised at the beginning.
The total earnings of 1874 companies,
nearly 80 per cent Of the total gross rail-
road earning capacity of the country, ag-
| gregate 1904, 600, 600 in 1896, an increase
over 1894 of 6.3 per cent The net earn
! ings aggregated $2S, 600. 600, an increase
o. 9.5 per cent compared with 1893, the
earnings of the identical companies show
falling off for 1895 Of 8. per cent gross
and 3.3 per cent net. compared with
| 1894, the central western trunk lines.
astern and central western roads, show
the heaviest gains. The samIlest increase
in gross il shown by the southern roads.
In net the heaviest increases are shown
by the central western. granger and Paoi-
| flo groups and the smallest increase be-
| ing the eastern and central western roads.
New York, February s1.-R. G. Dun
& Co., report the liabilities in the fail
ures during the two weeks of February.
| 81, $50, 1893, against S., $50, 96S last year
and s8, 534, 072 in 1894; manufacturing
| liabilities, So, 1853, 1885, against 81. 592. 1913
last year and $3,74a, ,S45 in 1894. while
the trading was SO, 842, O53, against So
1853. O19 last year and 81, 705, 749 in 1894.
The failures this week are $50 In the
United States, against 30 last year.