River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-08-20
TRADE is DULL.
Heat. Labor Troubles and Political Uncer-
tainty Aid In the Depression.

neat. LABOR Troubles and Political Uncer-
tainty Aid in the Depression.
New York. Aug l5.-R. G. Dun & Co..
in their weekly review of trade. say:
AN extraordinary spell OF deadly hot
weather has affected trade throughout the
country. and In the east speculative feel
ing was somewha affected until Thursday
by apprehension of the possible influence OF
the Bryan meeting. With cooler weather
there came also on Thursday perception
that the meeting would not affect bust
ness unfavorably. But other conditions
were not stimulating. According to gov
eminent reports the crops have sustained
serious injuries. Labor difficulties extend
and the closing OF establishments for want
of work and the refusal of commercial
loans by banks checked operations in many
branches of industry and trade. The week
therefore closes as the last week did. with
domestic business unusually duh for the
season.
In the stock market. which began to appear
on Monday. The average of 60 most active
railroad stocks had fallen TO $40S5 per
share, a decline of over per cent. for
the week, so that prices were actually the
lowest I'm III years. since the first month
after specie resumption. Trust stocks had
also declined S2.7S for the week. There
was some selling by foreign holders. but a
Tar more important factor was the gem
eral feeling of capitalists and investors
hSiV thdN IL might not YET De the peSt
time 10 buy. Men of more confidence put
up prices little on Tuesday and still more
on Thursday, so that the week closed
with an advance averaging 95 cents per
snare for railroads and $1.32 for trusts
Railroad earnings for the first week in
August were 81 per cent. smaller than last
year. and Chicago east-bound tonnage was
over per cent. less than last year.
Jhe government crop report for August
was so gloomy that great rise in prices
would have followed IL il had been entirely
credited. In fact, wheat rose about one
half cent, but again declined. closing only
traction higher for the week. Corn declined
throughout the week, closing over a cent
lower Cotton advanced a sixteenth be-
cause or continued reports of injury.
Iron production was reduced 90 764 tons
weekly In July and has been further re-
duced since August 1. while unsold stocks
increased 1912 tons in July. The STOP
page of a large share of the ConneIlsville
coke works and of many lake iron mines
is fair indication that the two combina-
lions do not believe anything could be
gained by reducing the prices of materials
and the main difficulty is the obviously
extreme narrowness OF demand for fin
ished products, which is so small that
most transactions are al some concessions
even from the current low prices
The boot and shoe industry is approach
ing the end of orders al hand, and gradual
advances I'm the prices asked tend to the
IestTlctionO OF new orders. Leather is sea rec
ly changed in price, many of the tannertes
having ceased operations, but hides are
per cent. lower for the week and have de-
cnned IL AZ per cent. within the last five
weeks.
The wooden manufacture makes little
change. with not more than a third of the
machinery now running, and the demand
for goods does not improve, although prices
of some impoAant grades have been fur
Their reduced. Nor has improvement ap-
peared in cotc-h goods. although the cur
tailment Of production for some weeks has
been great.
1T is step toward recovery, not quite
pleasant, but sure, that merchandise inn
ports since July are Is per cent less.
while exports are 10 per cent. more than
last year az means depression of trade,
but also decrease of foreign Indebtedness.
Failures for the week have been 29S In
the United States. against 1856 last year,
and 36 in Canada. against 80 last year"