The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-11
BUSINESS FAR FROM BRIGHT.
HIGHER PRICES FOR CEREALS
THE ONLY IMPROVEMENT.

The LuII in Trade Reelected ny the
Gross Railway EarninEs-WhOie-
sale Merchants in the Large Giles
of the North and West Report Bus
mess Unsatisfactory and Remit
tances From Country Merchants
slow.
New York, April 10.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say. while there is no gener-
al increase in business there are several
encouraging features. First, the advance
in prices OF -four. wheat. corn. oats. pork
and sugar, together with that for steel
billets and beams and other iron and steel
products. including No 2. foundry pig.
and for tinplates. The advance IN wheat
has continued so much longer than eX-
pected that the trade are again discussing
the likelihood Of this being the beginning
Of the long advance for cereals which
they believe must come after the extreme
depression of the past few years.
Gross railway earnings reflect the
March lull in trade.
brighter and more seasonable weather
east. and needed rains in Missouri, Kan
sas and Nebraska. have tended to stimu-
late the belated demand for general mer-
chandise.
There are only a few cities reporting
a moderate improvement in general busi-
ness. st. Louis, Kansas City and Omaha
are thus conspicuous. but even there the
gains are slight. st. Paul, Minneapolis
and Sioux Falls report only fairly salts
factory spring business. At San Francisco
business has not been active, but is better.
Exports of general merchandise from Sc
attic and of the same and lumber from
Tacoma continue TO attract attention
on the other hand wholesale merchants
at New York, Boston, Philadelphia Bal
timore, Buffalo. Detroit and Chicago, re-
port business unsatisfactory, and prac-
tically without improvement. one or the
most unfaVorable features is the conun-
ued inability of interior merchants to
make remittances promptly.
THE demand for wool is smaller-has al
most disappeared. Stocks of territory
woods are unusually heavy and large
proportion of them will have to be carried
over. Trade in the raw staple Is at "A
standstill
Dry goods continue depressed. Shirt
ings and other cotton goods refuse to move
freely, nobwthst landing cuts in prices.
Leather is also lower and large orders
for shoes have been placed because of
lower quotations. The list of notable price
reactions also include those for wool ana
petroleum, while cotton. print cloths and
coffee prices are substantially unchanged
The business failures in the United
States this week number Z3l, compared
Win 30 last week. 80 III the week a
year ago. 2l1 two years ago and 1876 In
the first week of April, 1893.
The total bank clearings aggregate
1925 100000 this week, thus continuing to
has been so conspicuous"
New York, April 1O.-R. G. Dun & CO.
will say tomorrow, in their weekly re-
view of trade; The failures for the
past week have been 209 in the United
States, against 27 last year, and 80 In
81
THE volume of business has not on the
whole increased, nor have prices appre-
Gladly advanced since April l, when the
range for all commodities was the low
est ever known in this country. Bread
stuffs and iron products have risen slight
ly, but some other articles have declined,
demand for consumption is still below ex-
"The billet pool and other combinations
have raised the prices of pig iron and
steel, but as yet finished products have
gained scarcely anything, nor has the de-
mand for them increased. The output
April ! was 100, 2Sl tons weekly, against
1S9. $50 March !, but reported stocks I'M
sold increased IS, 16S tons in March or 13-
1872 weekly, and there is besides the un-
known accumulation of the great steel
nounced, as expected, S1.10 higher than
last year, and the coke combination makes
no reduction, but gradually lessons its
output. While purchases of pig TO antici-
pate future wants have been heavy, the
actual consumption is but moderate Mi
nor metals are dull but lead is weaker
at 305 cents on forced sales west.
Prices of boots and shoes do not change.
though leather Is lower. Hides are a
little. stronger at Chicago, receipts being
small.
Wool is weaker, with the sales for the
week the smallest for many years Prices
tend lower, except for fine washed, fleece,
and manufacturers are rapidly reducing
production.
There is a fair demand in the dress
goods branch, but it is estimated that
not 40 per cent. Of the mems wear ma
chinery is at work. There have also been
cotton mills stopping or reducing time
this week. Further reduction in shirting
prints, to the lowest point ever touched
failed to increase the demand materially.