The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-29
UEEKLY TRiDE REyIEW.
The Merchandise Movement Not Maferi-
ally Improved.


NEW YORK. Feb. 2s.-Bradstreets to-
morrow viii say.
Changeable. and az times unreasonable
weather. has continued to unfayoraDly III
Auence the distribution Of general met-
chandise. Relatively the most active move
ment has been OF shoes, groceries. dry
goods. millinery. and light hardware. but
on the whole the merchandise movement
has not materially improved. JobDefs ar
larger western centres don't anticipate "a
heavy spring trade, as the outlook Is TOT
retailers carrying over larger stocks IMAM
expected.
Unsatisfactory conditions prevail In the
cotton goods. wO0len, iron. and steel IN
dustries. Jobbers in products OF cotton
mills report that trade drasS notwith
standing cut rates. and that the out
look is tat there VIII be more idle cot
tOn-mill machinery. Demand for Woollen
goods is slower and stocks i'm hands Of re-
taiiers are heavier than when last r.
ported.
ln addition 10 renewed activity IN the
glass industry large orders spring de-
livery, are being placed for boots ana
shoes az the more important dlstrlbutnS
centres and manufacturers report trade
active and DOspects encouraging. Leading
money markets are easier az the close,
but mercantile collections South. ana par
ticularly West. have fallen OF ana are
unsatisfactory South general trade IS
quiet and slow In nearly all lines. there
being an exception as 10 agricultural I'M
NltNcNLe AT MtNNNlrf Allhltd, anu III AuN
movement Of staples al New Orleans.
Relatively unsatisfactory reports from
western merchandise markets are the
rule, but Omaha reports an improvement
in business with Indian corn moving
more rapidly. and Duluth the prospect or
a good. though late. spring trade
Price movement of leading staples is
more favorable
The falling off I'm the total number OF
business failures throughout the United
a E q
being 2Il. compared with 2l6 last week,
pa in the corresponding week OF lNN',
20 in the fourth week of February. 1894.
~ in The like period IN ls93. and "a IN
r. G.. Dun & Co. will say tomorrow in
their weekly review OF trade. Failures in
three weeks OF February show liabilities
of Sl0 $50 ah against 8 r22nZh last year
and l,i2u.4s boz 1898. Failures ior the
week have been 2,N in the United states
against go last year, and - in tdnddA
against s. last year.
I'm some quarters business gains az the
West rather than at the East, but there
b. no general change for the better, though
nOpefulness stni pretOminateS. foteith
affairs grow more pacihc, public opinion
turns more resCl@ieiy towards sound
money. but the want of SUFFICIENT demand
for the products OF great Industries SIM
retard actual Improvement. Strikes or
some importance iu garment making anu
kindred lines affect trade lu Chicago ann
Baltimore bur there are fewer labor diii-
culfies than usual as existing conditions
warn Wagc-carncrs that controversies az
this time are unwise. Speculative mar
kets show little life.
The volume OF business does not i'm
prove. Exchanges through the principal
clearing houses show IT,, per cent. gam
over last year. but the months COM
parlson with 1898 is the only Instructive
one. and shows "a decrease or -D.' TOT
February
The market for textile goods is disap-
pointing. Material reductions IN cottoh7
nave not brought ONT the needed dtildi'
and "a further decline in Lawrence L. -,
brown shebting- this week % ! l-A cents
c0rresponds with reports tndt MUS OF
some Importance may prefer 10 diIt0t
production for "A time, unless d"Nlhuu lil-
proves WoOilen mills are receiving con-
siderable orders for Spilus HO""9, Wy
business for the future does not menu
clay wOrsteds are again a ehaut low
the range for an woollens - scdicely
per cent. higher than year ago, a.-
though wool IS more than per 'S".'
higher and a good many MUS are Ni0'
ing or reducing time.
The feature ion iron has peeh the ldlb'
demand for wrought ana ca pipe i''t ~
orders for structural work are rettlNtu az
chicago and are expected az the East ~
building plans eye untslalif laI6' ur'
sheets sell slowly ami rails very Hlu,,
though bar is fairly active, WIN uauf
orders coming for cars iron quoidtl"u7
average 2 per cent. lower for the Week.
because Of the drop in Bessemer az rlll5-
bun IA Si9 3D. and iu Grey Forge To NlN. i'.
rLe demand for boots and shoes gains
very little. - g.. IN.
York for three weeks show a. gam on ~
Der cent. over last year WINE hnpoi ~ ~
tbe same time scarcely increase. bul
export bills are diminishing rapliiy "l
this season. and many security hlil7 nave
An be-. met ln the near future. IT. IT, ,htit
lore believed by many that eoid exports
are not far off