The Portland daily press., 1896-04-04
DRADSTREETS' REPORT.
General Report Of the Business
Situation.
STIMULUS NOTED IN IRON AND
STEEL TRADE.

Manufacturers Are Buying More Freely
of Raw Materials for Dress Woo1ens-
Big Increase of Corn Exports-First
Quarter of 1896 Shows Largest Number
OF Failures for Corresponding Period
Ever Known.
New York, April 8. 3.-Bradstreet's report
tomorrow will note conspicous change
in the steel and iron market, resulting
in an advance OF $3 per ton in quotations
for steel billets, S1.25 per ton for bessemer
pig iron and corresponding stimulus has
been given On other forms of iron and
steel
The demand for dress woolens, for the
autumn delivery has been sufficient to
stimulate manufacturers to buy raw ma
terial more freely.
Indian corn and granulated sugar are
higher. while oats, barley, pork, lard,
butter. cheese and coffee all are lower.
The dry goods trade has not improved.
The exports of wheat, -four being
included as wheat, from both coasts of
the United States this week aggregate
1,63, 600 bushels against 2, S53, 900 in the
same week year ago, 2, 77S,00o in the
week two years ago. and 3.035,000 in the
like week in 1898. The exports Of corn
have increased and amount to 2, 199, 600
bushels this week, three times what they
were in the same week a aayeal ago.
The March bank clearings are in con-
trast to those of February when the total
was 20 per cent larger than the corre-
spending total year ago. March aggre-
gates 81. 108, 600, 900, only one per cent
more than the total for February and an
increase over the March total of year
ago of only 2.2 per cent, contrassed
with March 1893. The falling off is
per cent, 10 per cent smaller than she
total for January 1896. The most favor
able clearings reports are from southern
cities.
The first quarter for 1886 presents the
largest Of actual com mercial and indus
trial failures in business IN the United
States in which the liabilities exceed the
| assets, ever reported for like period.
The total is 4, 512 or 700 more than dur
lug the like portion of 1895, ,.543 moro than
1894, and l443 more than first quarter OF
1888. The liabilities of those falling this
year. amount to $62, 513, COO an increase
OF 80 per cent compared with year ago,
"a per cent compared with the first quar-
ter OF 1894, and SIXTY per cent consrasted
with three years ago. The assets Of con-
Germs rall1ng IN the hrsG quarter OF this
year aggregate $50, 1872, 701, against $780,
| 571. 13a in the first quarter Of 1895.
In the New England states there were
584 failures reported against 535 for a
corresponding period last year moderate
and not necessarily significant increase.
Dun's Report of Failures.
| New York, April 3.-R g. Dun &
| Cnmpany's weekly review of trade says:
! The regular quarterly statement of fail
ures shows 403l liabilities, s57, 425. 135,
against 1902 last year; liabilities, $47, s13,-
6S3; and 43O4 the same quarter in 1894;
liabilities, s64, 1877, 1888; average liabilities
sl4,a46, against Sl2, 577 last year and Sl4,-
900 in 1894. The manufacturing failures
were $780, against 651 last year; liabilities
$23, 507, 3a6, against $50. 228. 991 last year.
The decrease IN comparison with 1894 is
1874 per cent. The leading failures were
Bis, liabilities S31, 4S4 3l2; against $685.
979, S94 last year, and incom perison with
1894 decrease of 6. 9 per cent.