The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-09-05
PULSE OF TRADE STEADIER
REVIEW OF BUSINESS CONDITIONS
 THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

Somewhat Better Feeling in Wholesale
 Lines-Advance in Prices in Some staples Damage to Cotton Crops-Bank Clear ings-Failures- Situation Ana
 lyzed-In Many Centers Trade is Report
 ed as Very Much Improved-In Other
 Marts Trade is Quiet General Situation Analysed.
 New York, Sept. 4.--Bradstreets to- morrow will say:
 There is g. somewhat better feeling among wholesale merchants as to pros- poets for autumn trade in reasonable aoods. This extends to Sonae indust rial lines, notably iron and steel Chicago sales of iron this week are larger than for all of August and at Pittsburg sales are larger and prices better on the out- look for harmony among steel makers. Demand for shoes from western jobbers is more active than at the east, and the dry goods trade regard the results of the sale of spring goods at New York as fairly satisfactory. Notwithstand- ing a continuation of high rates for money with restricted discounts and fewer time loans there is a better feel ing in financial circles.
 The most notable increase of sales of seasonable goods has been at Chicago mostly among dry goods and hardware jnbbers. St. Louis also reports a mod crate gain in demand as does St. Paul, where @ state fair has attracted visi- tors. Baltimore,s wholesale trade Is checked by restricted bank credits, but is still larger than one year ago. Alt the south relatively the most active demand is at CharleStpn, Augusta, Bir- mingham, Nashville and New Orleans.
 The more encouraging feature as to the movement of prices in advances of quotations for wheat on the stronger statistical position and free export movement, higher prices for iron and steel at Pittsburg and Chicago, with q gain in demand and a further appre- citation ir. quotations for cotton on renewed reports of damage to the crop. Petroleum and leather are also high- CT Print cloths, pork and wheat flour are unchanged, while wool is steady after sales of considerable lots at cut prices. Lower quotations are reported for corn, oats, lard, sugar and cof- fee.
 On the other hand, there has been no general increase in industrial produc- ton, the output as whole being small- CT than previously during the year. Further damage to the Texas cotton crop is reported. and the outlook for business in Texas is less attractive. At Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Kan sas City, Omaha, Milwaukee, Duluth and Minneapolis there is no change from the dullness and conservatism which have marked preceding weeks. Trade on the Pacific coast, except in certain export lines, is of small vol- ume.
 Exports of wheat. four included aa wheat, from both coasts of the United States and from Montreal this week amount to 1869, ,882 bushels,l against 2,- 260, ,000 bushels In the week a year ago.
 Bank cleariags show a total of $527,- 900, 900 this week for cities throughout the United States, an increase of 10 per cent. over last week, but decrease of 10 per cent. from the like week a year ago.
 August bank clearings are the small- est for any month this year and among the smallest reported after the panic of 1893. Total clearings for August were $3,526,416, ,248, a decrease of 14.20 per cent. from last year, of 19 per cent. from the July total of this year, and 13. 60 per cent. from February, 1896, the smallest months total this year. Every group of cities shows a decrease in, Au- ,,% fofo o1c thnca ono a fhat largest falling off, 1S6 per cent. being in New England and the smallest being 5.S per cent. in the south. The only large cities showing gains are New Or leans and Omaha. Among the larger cities showing decreases are New York. 14.S per cent; Boston, 1922 per cent;l Philadelphia, 17 per cent; Chicago, lS per cent, and St. Louis, 6 per cent.
 Total clearings at sixtiy-six cities for eight months aggregate S33, ,361, ,19s, ,647, a decrease of IA per cent. from the like total in 1895, a gain of 14.5 per cent over 1894, but a decrease of 1S per cent from 1893.
 There were 33s business failures. throughout the United States this week. The total a year ago was 184
 Worlds stocks of wheat on Septem- Der as reported to Bradstreet amount ed to about 97,0s6o00 bushels, nofninally less than was held in the United States, Canada, Europe and afioat for Europe from all sources one month before, and less than has been reported at the first of any month since September 1, 1891. Supplies of available wheat here and in Canada are larger than one year ago, but those in Europe and afioat for Europe are only a little over one- half what they were one year ago.
 The industrial fair and millinery openings have stimulated trade at Tor onto. Montreal merchants report some gain also, but the demand is checked by uncertainty as to Canadian tariff changes. The volume of trade is limit ed at Quebec city, in part in sympathy with dullness in trade in the United States. Bank clearings at Winnipeg, Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal and Hali- fax amount to s1S,O51, 900. against s16,- 7S4, 900 in the week a year ago. There are 30 failures reported from the Do- minion this week against 33 in the week a year ago.
 STRANGE FREAK OF 4 MANIAC.