Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-13
TRADE ALL HINGES
On Uncertainty Of Financial PIanks Of
Great Political Parties.
Trade at West Quiet-0ther Things Of Interest
in Bradstreet's.

New York. June l2.-Bradstreet's. to.
morrow. will say: There Is little or nc
effort to push business at this period OF
so much uncertainty as TO the precise
terms of the financial pianks TO b,
adopted by the great political parties In
National convention. The general mcr-
chadise movement continues duh and con-
s%erVatise as heretofore. retailers. with
few exceptions. buying only for imme-
few exceptions, buying only for immediate
necessity. Mercantile collections continue
slow and unsatisfactory. There Is no
gain in the cotton or wooden goods iron
or steel Industries.
Western spectators are buying wool
above parity with prices offered from the
East. There Is httle likelihood OF higher
prices for wool while SO much machinery
is idle. Nearly all branches of dry goods
are somewhat depressed. Cotton goods
are below parity with raw material. The
contest continues between pools in iron
and steel and consumers. Pool prices for
billets are maintained. Brokers are offer
ing steel at Sl.50 under pool prices. The pig
iron production declined about 81 900 tons
during May. stocks increasing less than
i. 600 tons.
General trade In the Western states
remains quiet. No Improvement is re-
ported from Chicago compared with the
unsatisfactory records of recent weeks.
The improvement in demand for staples
at ST Louis is among the dealers In
paints and drugs. Kansas City and
Omaha report relatively the best demand
@@1
among wholesalers OF dry goods. shoes.
hats and agricultural implements. Re
ports from the southern distributing cen
tiers announce an almost uniformly quiet
trade. although good rains in the terri
tory tributary 10 Charleston and New Or
lesn Ms have improved the crop outlook
and wholesale trade.
In Texas. corn is suffering from want OF
rain. Almost all the leading lines at ST.
Paul report business dun. with the eX-
ception of johhers in hardware. Mime
-. =. =. Il -. f. N~- traat
ness.
There is more activity in general lines
AT San Francisco and further inquiry AS
to the new wheat crop. AT Portland.
dealers announce that wool is moving
with offers low. Successful efforts have
been made to locate additional manufact-
uring interests at Tacoma. There Is a
fair trade in groceries and provisions at
Seattle and that the crop report in that
region is favorable.
The exports OF wheat tlour included as
wileat from both coasts of the United
States. this week, were .. 2E2. 900 bushels.
against Isl. 900 in the week. one year ago.
As far as the movement of prices is
concerned the contrast with last week
lies in advances for wheat flour. lard,
sugar. petroleum and tobacco. The de-
creas, in recent weeks are followed Ivy
lower prices for wheat, Indian corn. oats.
pork. cotton and print cloths. Practically
unchanged quotations are announced Tor
leather. lumber. live stock and coffee.
Wool. which is not firm. is nominally un-
changed.
The gross railway earnings in May are
better than expected. in view of dun
trade and decreased hank clearings. The
earning show Il gain over May. Il year
ago. whereas the clearings show n heavy
decrease. The bank cleariugs reflect on the
business lone in preceding weeks or
months. whereas railroad earnings indicate
spot business. The total earnings of 1C
railroads. with 5000 miles of track. aggre-
gated S36. ~ 900 in May, II gain over May.
a year ago, of "a per cent. following a
gain IN May, a year ago, over May. 1884,
OF g. per cent. OF the 1870 roads reported,
Is showed gains and ~ losses. For five
months The total earnings of 1l9 roads
show i gain of : per cent. following the
gain in May, 1885, over May. 1894, of %
per cent.
The total volume of bank c~learings in
the United States for the six business
days ending Jun II. is S93S. 900. 900. or 81
per cent. less than last week. 90 per cent
less tnan the corresponding week of 1896.
md 12.6 per cent. more than the second
week of June. 1894.
The number of failures throughout the
United States. this week. were 234. com
pared with 232 in the second week of
June. 1875.