The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-03-14
THE CONDITION OF TRADE
BIG INCREASE IN GROSS RAILWAY
EARNINGS REPORTED.


Market Duil-slow Collect. ons Retard
Movement OF Merchandise.
New York, March 13.-BraGstreet's to.
morrow will say: The only conspicu-
ously favorable feature of the general
business situation is found in Brad
streets report of February gross rail-
way earnings throughout the country.
Receipts of 126 companies last month
were larger with single exception
than in any preceding month for three
years, the February total, 1896, being
$34, $4,000, a gain over that total last
year of nearly IA per cent In January
this year gross earnings were about IL
per cent. larger than year age, and in
February, 1895, they decreased 23 per cent.
from that total in 1894. These results
are due in part to favorable weather
conditions in February, large grain
traffic and the inclusion Of one more
business day.
Heaviest gains in gross earnings last
month are reported by the grangers.
the Pacifics and Southern lines in the
order named, with from 22 to to 20 per
cent. larger totals than in February
last year. The smallest increase is re-
ported by the coal roads. Other groups
report increases ranging from "a per
cent. for the, eastern roads to 10 per
cent. for soutfwesterns. The trunk line
| Increase was nearly per cent. and
that of the central westerns rs per cent.
More than three-fourths of all the COM
panies reporting show gains compared
with the February totals year ago,
and twenty-three of the companies
show February increases this year in
excess of $4,000 each. For two months,
| total gross earnings Of the railways re-
ferred to amount to $72, 900 in 1896, or
2.3 per cent. more than in the first two
| months Of 1885, The increase for the
entire calendar year 1895 over 1894 was
only 81 per cent.
| General trade shows no marked
changes. Distribution of merchandise is
most active for dry goods, hardware,
shoes and millinery, paints, oils and
heavy chemicals, but has been unsatis-
factory. Jobbers report spring trade of
a waiting character, due to belated
snowstorms and unusually cold wealh-
/ er. Collections, with few EXCEPTIONS
are no better, and in many instances
less satisfactory which tends to retard
the movement of merchandise. Build
ing operations at some of the eastern
points are not as active as anticipated.
Dealers in shoes south and west report
trade slow, and eastern makers admit
orders are increasing slowly. The cot
ton goods manufacturing industry Is
unsatisfactory, with slack demand and
heavy stocks. Prints and ginghanls
are most active. Transactions in raw
wool are limited and the market is very
dull with less business than at any
previous time since January l.
Iron and steel are as quiet as in pre-
ceding weeks and in some respects
less favorably situated. Orders for
steel at Chicago have decreased and the
price is barely steady. Demand for pig
iron is the slowest since January 1.
Quotations at eastern markets, nornin-
ally unchanged, could probably be shad-
ed on new business. No agreement
has been reached on ore products for
|
was restricted about 10000 tons during
February, but stock increased nearly
TO- 900 tons in the face of it. From all
this the general trade situation through
the country may be regarded as less
satisfactory at the middle of March,
1896, than had been anticipated. Even
prices Of staples have refused to make
and maintain advances. Among de-
creases in quotations are those of -four,
wheat, Indian corn, oats, lard, print
cloths, steel and pig iron, while prices
of wool. leather, coal, pork and sugar
are nominally unchanged.
Coffee is higher. but not based upon
domestic conditions affecting demand.
The Improvement in the actual demand
for cotton at home and abroad is back
Of its advance. Petroleum, also, is
higher, as are lead and nails at western
centers, where the demand has improv-
ed. At the south Augusta jobbers In
shoes and dry goods report satisfactory
spring sales and Atlanta a larger vol
ume of business than in the correspond
ing week last year. New Orleans job
bers regard the prospect for a good
trade, with steady weather, while at
other points. particularly Texas. the
trade movement is moderate and collec-
tions are unsatisfactory.
Total exports of wheat, flour included
as wheat, from both coasts of the Unit
ed States during six business days end
ing with March 12. abount to 1,97S 1000
bushels The weeks bank clearings ag-
gregate $943, 100000 smaller than a week
ago, but per cent larger than in the
second week of March, 1895.
Business failures in the United States
number 2S2 for six business days end
ing with March IL, compared with. 2G3
in the corresponding week a year ago.
Trade advices from Montreal are ratn-
er better than last week, based on the
general merchandise movement to the
country districts. but not much inl-
provement is likely until after naviga
ton opens Similar conditions prevail
at the city OF Quebec, where. as at Mon
treai mercantile collections are Unsatis-
factory. The movement of merchandise
from the hands of Toronto jobbers con-
tinues without feature. Merchants at
Halifax report some slight improvement
and the outlook for fish stuffs is good.
The Nova Scotia country trade. how
ever. continues dull, owing to the heavy
country roads. Business failures
throughout the Canadian dominion this
week number So against SO in the week
-