Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-02-15
BUSINESS Is DULL.
The Condition throughout The Entire Country
Is Very Unsatisfactory.

New York, Feb. ii.-Bradstree,s, to
morrow, Will say: The general business
| situation throughout the country does not
| meet the anticipations, except AZ few
cities Baltimore and Pittsburg in tn,
| East, Chicago II. Louis and Omaha al
the West. Galveston. Chattanooga and
| Atlanta at the South--but remains dull
| for the season, in most instances d!sap-
pointingly SO. The improvement in de-
lnand and supply Is confined to hides.
leather, boots and shors, which are con.
| spicuous in the short list Of staples for
which the prices are higher.
The features Of the situation are those
resulting from the unfavorable weather in
the East and central West, the reaction OF
prices OF iron and steel, further com
plants by woulen manufacturers
The outlook is for more idle wooden
machinery, n smaller total OF bank clear.
mgs, continued stiffness, the mainte.
nance of high rates for loans, notwith.
standing the favorable differences drawn
from the heavy over subscription tn the
government bond issue, and the restricted
production OF pig iron.
The January gross railway earnings are
very encouraging, showing n larger per
centage OF gain than any previous month
hut one for three years. The total Janu-
ary earnings Of 1926 companies, with ~. gls
miles Of road, aggregate s37, a26. IlO. a
gain OF ll.3 per cent. over January.a year
ago, which in turn showed a decrease Of
5-ln of per cent from January. 1894.
Among the favorable features are gains
in the Southwest where the improve
ment has been impcdcd large decrease
by the Granger ana Pacific roads, more
numerous large increases and fewer de-
creases being reported than for months
past.
The makers of cotton goods insist that
prices must advance or the cost of raw
material decline, in the face Of which the
| l1bbers are cutting the prices Of cotton
goods Wholesale dealers in paints and
glass anticipate heavy building operations
in the spring, and report large order.
placed in anticipation thereof
Lower prices are recorded for pork.
lard, corn. whea, wheat flour and live
stock, in addition 10 cotton. steel billet,
and bcssemer pig iron, including partial
reversal Of the general tendency Of price,
of the leading staples to advance exhibited
in late weeks. No change in quotations
ava '"'is 'NifHbcis pttioGSuiu auu PRINT
cloths is reported. In addition the ad.
vances for leather and hides, the prices OF
oats, coffee and sugar are higher.
The exports Of wheat flour included as
wheatl from both coasts OF the United
states, this week, were 2,71S, 600 bushels,
! against ?, 512, 900 in the week year ago.
! The receipts of wheat at Tacoma have
fallen off, and the mills there have large
supplies. Portland, Oregon, reports that
orders placed with wholesale seed mer-
chauts indicate the anticipation of pros
porous year. The weather in California
has been very favorable, condition from
which grain and fruit crops are expected
to benefit
The volume of bank clearings dropped
oil 10 per cent, this week, the total being
1906, Oo0. 600. AS compared with the
second week of February, 1895, this shows
an increase of 10 per cent.
The number of failures reported
throughout the United States, this week,
was 81, or more than the second week of
February, 1895.