The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-17

MARCH ENPORTS.-The Bureau of
Statistics i'm its monthly statement of
imports and exports shows that the eX
portation of domestic merchandise dur
ing March amounted To $73.99O.296. a
gain of more than SIC, ,0OO, 600 over March.
lS95.. For the last nine months there
was u gain of over $5l. 300. 900. The i'm
ports of merchandise during March
amounted to $66,3S3,93S. of which about
$3l 100000 was free Of duty. The loss
for the month as compared with March.
1895, was about $4,000, 900. There was,
however, gain for the nine months of
about ST., 100000; the excess of the ex-
ports for the month over the total i'm
ports was $9.l44.0l6. In March. 1895.
the imports of merchandise exceeded
the exports by $4.l33.646. The exports
of gold coin and bullion during March
aggregated S3S4,0SO. and the imports
$6T,733. The silver coin and bullion ex-
ports during March amounted to $5,Ol4.-
I26. and the imports to 81 1.353,526 EX-
ports of general merchandise from the
port of New York for the week ended
yesterday aggregated $7.13S.554 against
$6,72ll32 the preceding week, and ST.
553.9S7 the same week last year: since
January l, $ll3,235,6SS, against $lO3, ,O35,-
800 last year.
CASH RESERVE OF BANKS.-The
proportion of cash held to deposits of
all the national banks in this country
last September, when full report was
made to the comptroller of currency.
was 2S.6S per cent. In Pennsylvania 1t
was 1855 per cent. In the three central
reserve cities 1t was 2S. 40 per cent. and
In the other reserve cities it as 1904 per
cent. In all reserve cities it was 291S
nd tn ha ho, ,lye, ,f h.,
try outside the leading cities it was 2S 10
per cent. Under the law the banks of
this country must keep their cash re-
serve above % per cent. of their de-
posits.
COAL TRADE REVIEW.-The an
thracite coal stocks have been very
quiet for month or more. Last month
coal was selling on an average of 40
cents per ton more than was obtained
for domestic sizes in March last year.
This month the increase will be IS
cents per ton and next month 60 cents.
providing current prices are obtained.
Even If there Is no change in the circu-
lar now current, during the balance of
the year. Which,, by the waV is hirhly
improbable, the increases will pile up
until they amount to S5 cents in July.
August and September. Any advance
In the present circular will, of course,
add to these gains.-There is talk among
a number of the coal companies of
equalizing coal prices. 1t is contended
that anthracite coal in the western cit
les Is being sold too low compared with
prices ruling In the East. 1t is believed
however, that no steps will be taken in
this direction until there is an improve
ment in the demand. Some of the
leading producing companies in New
York are averSe to any change in
prices, on .he ground that. notwith-
standing collieries are being worked but
four days a week, production Is still
greater than demand. Water ship
ments of hard coal will begin in ear
nest in about three weeks. The freight
season on the great lakes promises to
be exceedingly active on account of the
large quantities of grain and iron ore
awaiting transportation.
HOUSES AND POPTLATION.-
Philadelphia, with smaller popula-
tion than New York, has fully twice as
many houses and more than twice as
many residences. Brooklyn, with