The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-03-14
Waiting is Still the Rule With
General Trade.
HEAVY RAILWAY EARNINGS
The Most Favorable Feature OF
the Situation.
A GAIN OF NEARLY "a PER CENT
Collections With Few Exceptions Are
NO Better and Tend to Retard
the Movement of Mer-
chandise.

New York, March 13.-R. G. Dun d
Co.'S. Weekly Review of Trade, which
issues tomorrow will say:
Waiting is still the rule. Large hope
but little actual business explains the
strength of some markets and the
weakness of others. The feeling that
the spring of 1896 ought to bring larg-
er business will not suffice to meet eX-
Denses all the season if the larger bust
ness does not come. 1t is especially
noteworthy that prices of materials
have varied quite differently from
prices of manufactured products al
though, in most cases, the advance last
fall was commenced by extraordinary
uplifting of prices for materials. Thus
cotton is 27.9 per cent. higher than
year ago, but cotton goods average
only 1917 per cent. Wool is but 5.3 per
cent. higher than year ago, but wool
en- goods are on the whole about per
cent lower. Pig Iron is only IL per
cent. higher than a year ago. while
finished products of iron and steel aver
age As per cent. higher. These compaf-
isons are important because they dis
close something of the grave disloca-
ton Of prices which inadequate con-
sumption and combinations have pro-
duced.
Cotton goods sell but slowly not
withstanding recent reductions in
price, and the enormous accumulation
of unsold stocks causes apprehension
in many quarters.
Failures for the week have been 3d.,
911.775 against 81 ,6s3, 052 last year and
o. 11c 1904 ri
were Ss96,915 against S7s5,296 last year
and trading We're $2,0O5,560 against
1897, $50 last year.
Failures for the week have been 300
in the United States against 266 last
year and so in Canada against 81 last
year.
BRADSTREET'S REVIEW.
New York, March 13.-Bradstreet's
tomorrow will say:
The only conspicuously favorable
feature of the general business situa-
ton is the report of February gross
railway earnings throughout the coun-
try. Receipts OF 126 companies last
month were larger. with single ex-
ception, than in any preceding month
for more than three years, the Februa-
ry total, 1886, being S344s4, 900, a gain
over that total last year of nearly ii
per cent. These results are due in part
to favorable weather conditions, large
grain traffic, and the inclusion of one
more business day.
General trade shows no marked
change. Distribution of merchandise
is most active for dry goods, hardware,
shoes and millinery, paints, oils and
heavy chemicals, but have been unsat-
isfactory. Jobbers report spring trade
of awaiting character, due to belated
snow storms and unusually cold wealth
err. Collections, with few exceptions,
are no better and in many instances,
less satisfactory which tends to retard
the movement of merchandise.
Total exports of wheat flour in
cluded as wheat) from both coasts Of
the United States, during six business
days ended with March IL, amount to
2, 401 ,0e0 bushels against 2,407, 900 bush
els last week, 2,791, 900 in the CORES
pondiDg week last year, 3,258,000 bush
elsin the second week of March, 1894,
and as compared with 2,8s6,0O0 bushels
in the like week of 1893.
Total exports of Indian corn in the
same week amount to 1,708,0 200 bushels,
little more than 100000 bushels less
than in the previous week; and as com
pared with 900 bushels in the week
last year and with 1,27s,000 bushels III
the corresponding week of 1894.