The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-02-06
CONFLICTING VIEWS.
Dun Notes an Improvements In Trade
Bradstreet 10 disappointed.


Bradstreet 10 disappointed.
New York. Feb. 1.-R. G. Dun & Co.,
in their weekly review Of trade, say:
Though business IL still waiting. there
are some signs of definite Improvement.
1t is now believed that the first payment
for bonds will cause no further pressure.
and tho money markets are easier, as re-
spects loans On collateral. though the Diff
ticulty Of making commercial loans still
checks operations. But large maturities
at the end Of January have been met more
chants and Banners report that the signs
promise a good spIiIg trade.
mo increase appears as yet in the de-
mand TO- tho p, ;ncipal products unless for
some forms cf iron and steel, In which good
contracts have been made this week. Do
nestle trade recorded through clearing
houses Is 6.5 per cent. smaller than year
ago. Signs Of improvement In the iron and
steel business are gratifying. even though
they spring from combinations which have
raised the price of coke and allotted the
output Of lake iron ore. Pig iron is rather
weaker. southern works competing sharp
ly. while speculative buyers of some months
ego are selling below present furnace
prices, but the average for all products ts
practically unchanged and H. per cent.
below the highest last year.
1.-The demand for boots and shoes does
not enlarge. though prices still decline
about 6+per cent. for the week and hides
mills are. discussing curtailnlent Of pro-
duction. as goods continue weak, with an
output largely exceeding distribution.
though the week has brought considerably
more inquiries and a larger spring trade is
still hoped for. Woolens are practically
unchanged Sales Of wool at the three
chief markets have diminished Of late,
manufacturers buying only for present
needs.
Wheat has again advanced about 3
cents for cash, but only ~ for May. al
though Atlantic exports are little larger
than year ago. Neither this fact nor the
continued excess of western receipts ex-
plain an advance for which the basis or
the excuse must be sought in foreign re-
ports. Corn has ceased to "sympathize."
and records little advance. Cotton Is a
shade lower than a week ago.
THE earnings Of railroads In three weeks
Of January were 80 per cent larger than
last year. The stock market has been
lifted by these returns and hopeful none
tary t4ndtions, SO that the average for
railroad stocks Is $1.A per share and for
trust $1.A per share higher than a week
ago. The expectation Of an anthracite
settlement has been a powerful factor,
and it is generally supposed that prices
will rise after the bond settlement.
'Failures in three weeks OF January
show liabilities Of s17.S36,511, against $10.-
6S5, 600 last year: in manufacturing $780,
129 this year, against $2.479, 1893 last year: in
trading, $10,317,360, against sS.165,267 last
year. Failures this week have been 4O4
In the United States, against 354 last year.
and 10 in Canada, against "a last year..
'Bradstreet's says of the trade situa-
ton:
1.-THE features Of the week are continued
retarded demand for merchandise and
checked industrial operations. Least sat-
isfactory is the waiting attitude OF some
Of the more important industries. Shoe
factories at Philadelphia are shutting down
OF running on part time; cotton-goods max max.
ers regard the outlook for their product
unpromising; there Is a reaction IN the
price of steel billets: among so pig-iron
furnaces in the Pittsburgh and Shenango
districts IA are idle, and the position Of
woolen-goods manufacturers is shown by
the fact that foreign WOODEN goods are rel
atively the most active.
General trade at the close Of Janu-
Dry proves disappointing. particularly In
central western, western and northwest.
ern states. where the movement of mer-
chandise from tobbers has been slow and
unsatisfactory. it being only fair at few
points. The volume Of spring goods dis
tributed from Chicago in January falls be-
hind expectations. although larger than
in January, 1895. Some traders in terri
tory tributary to Chicago are making or
6&ers small. owing to having carried over
large stocks and to a desire to conf1ne pur-
cbases to actual requirements. At st.
Louis spring demand is slow and general
trade is characterized as only fair by the
most sanguine. The condition in the north
west is such that grain moves freely in
scme regions, irrespective of low prices
4 result of all this is shown by the cuts
by New York. Chicago and St. Louis job
hers In prices Of standard cotton goods.
which demoralizes demand