The Portland daily press., 1896-02-08
BRADsTREET's REPORT.
A Comprehensive Review of the Business
Situation.

tomorrow will say the general trade has
waited the results of the subscriptions to
the bond issue, and the sentimental
outcome, have been easier money and
improvement. Additional favorable in
f1uenoes are found in heavier bank clear
ing, continued flrmness of prices and
sustained demand for iron and steel.
The announcement from st. Paul, Mil
waukee, Omaha and Desmonies of re-
yival in business with jobhers in staple
lines. In the east Baltimore and Pitts
burg report favorable trade condi tious
AT the south gains in wholesale lines is
announced from Nashville. Memphis,
Atlanta, Birmingham. The reverse in
cludes the depressing influences of stormy
and wet weather, Indifference of consum-
ers of domestic wooden dress goods, and re-
newed sales of print cloths and other
marks of cotton goods only after reaction
in prices. A continuance of extreme con-
servatism in almost all lines and the fact
that the relief to the treasury by heavy
over subscription to che bond issue, in
the absence of sound currency legislation
by Congress will probably prove only a
temporary device to maintain the gold
reserve.
The general trade at Chicago, ST.
Louis, Buffalo and Philadelphia, shows
no real gains from the preceding week,
when the situation was quiet even to
dizziness and the outlook unsatisfactory.
Speculation In wheat in San Francisco
checks the exports and wheat is weaken
ing. Portland and Tacoma regard the
outlook for the success of the proposed
Pacific coast lumber mill combination
favorable and prospects favor an 1vance
in lumber prices. The increased demand
for hoe oki, 1o%o ho
prices for these me tails. Oats corn wheat
flour and wheat is higher in sympathy
with the strength of the statistical po-
sitlon of the latter.
Bradstreets report of the worlds wheat
stocks February, 1 shows 81, 600 600 bush
els less than year ago, "a, 900, 900 less
than two years ago, the total being as
nearly as small a. total July as four
years ago, and, with reduced supplies from
the Argentine, Russia, India and Aus
Jralia, indicating the probability that the
wheat importing countries will have to
iptrenoh heavily on their reserves this
year.
Cotton and coffee remain firm at practi-
cally unchanged quotations., rs do wool,
lumber and coal. The iron and steel
markets are encouraged by increased
orders for rails, a quarter of last year s
output having been ordered at this time
for 1896 delivery. The eastern rail mills
are reported to have taken large contracts
for delivery in California and Chill in
competition with foreign mills.
The receipts Of live stock at western
centres are heavy, and prices are lower
for sugar, lard and petroleum. The ex-
ports Of wheat, -four included as wheat,
from both coasts of the United States
this week, amount to about 2, 907, 900
bushels, against 1000, coo in the week
year ago. The exports of Indian corn
this week amount to 1892, 600 bushels,
trif1e more than last week ana three
times the quantity in the like week
yenr ago.
The January bank cIearings reflect a
decline in the volume of business, during
the past three months, and are larger
than the totals for January one and two
years ago, % per cent less than the JAN
uery total in 1898, and the weeks total
olearings, 81. 600, 600, 00U, one per cent
more than last year, and two per cent
larger than the first week in February,
1895. The reports to BradstIeets show
suspensions and failures of banks and
other exclusive financial institutions in
the United States with the exclusion of
national banks and loan trust comAanies,
number 149 in 1895, compared with SO
the year before. The liabilities amounted
to $23, 624. 900 last year and SIS, 02S, 900
the year before. The failures through
out the United States this week num-
bered 1888, contrasted with 293 in the
week year ago.
r. G. Dunn & Co. report the failures
for the week, 1898 in the United States,
against 2S1 last year.