The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-23
THE BUSINESS DEPRESSION.
Conditions DO Not Grow Worse, bu
Are Scarcely Improving.

Conditions do Not Grow worse. but
Are Scarcely Improving.
New York. May 2.-Bradstreets to-mor-
row viii say: The reactionAry tendency
In prices. shrinkaxe In railroad earnings.
falling on In bank ciearings and the fact
that the present constitutes the beginning
OK the between-seasons period, include the
more conspicuous features Of the general
business situation. On the other hand.
business failures have fallen OF sharply.
General trade throughout the central
West has not met anticipatlons. Al Kan
sas City, where the movement OF mers
chandise continues relatively quite active,
mercantile collections are fair, and trade
prospects were never better. Improve
ments are noted on the Pacific coast. due
to the weather. which has rendered the
crop outlook more favorable and stirnu.
lated purchases IN staple lines.
Exports OF wheat, -four. Included as
wheat. from both coasts OF the United
States this week amount to l.sps.ooo bush
els, as compared with i.903 90 bushels last
week. 3M.co bushes In the week one
year axo. e.sia.eoo bushels two years ago
and aios.so bushels three years ago.
The total number Of business failures
throughout the United States this week
shows a marked falling on from the week.
ly average during the past four months,
&c. as compared with ss5 last week, 70
IN the like week OF 1895. "a In the third
week IN May. 1854 ana IS compared with
III In the corresponding week OF isss The
total number OF business failures a. re-
ported from the Canadian dominion this
week ts y, az compared with ~ last week.
. In the week year ago and . two years
ago.
Br~d-treet's Financial Review.
ErAAstreet's financial review Of the week
says: Speculation during the present week
has been even narrower and more pro-
fesssonal than hefore.The tone. however.
has on the whole, been sseadfer. and the
spprehersive feeling IN regard 10 the po-
iitscai resrfts a. bear factors accurnusases.
The large holders ef securities have not
been afssctsa hy the recent liquidation
tendency. but the latter was confined
to the smaller ssmi-rrofe~ssonal bulls. The
exhaustion Of selling from this quarter
has imposed - check upon hearish activity
an the part Of room traders. AMI the abb
eencs Of any decided pressure On the mar
ket has been no iess significant than ths
ts.AI lack OF outside interests, commission
houses as q class ss,ng almost IDLE Lon
don has not Seen a factor either way.
Among the incidents Of the week Is the
news that J. p. Morgan has placed an
OPTION for 81. sna. 30 Of the new Northern
raciac prior lien Z re$ cert. honds with \
fseraca banking syrsiscate. the belief bring
thar the securities VIII be taken rp In the
autumn. This weeks gold shipments have
been cnsnparatlveiy small, amounting 10
s. 60 coo. ard IA the early part OF the veek
I, was understood tire special ORDERS Tor
se.a from Germany had been filed There
seems 10 be some uncertainty about thtA
however and the existence Of consider
All. inquiry for srchanxe would In any
evrnt ferd 90 fcrcs rates TO ieyet al
-xst~h rslH -ros.hs move 20 rnrdon. a. the
record so- mary years rzsf shows 70 - q
~a~rsraI proceeding n. this season 20 far
a azy speculative interest deTssopet- II
was mainly In connection with tina nsAniSu-
lartor e. sosne Of the insins.rsssA
Dunss Review of Trade
2 G. Dun d Cas- weekly review cf
trase Tomorrow will SAY; The waiting con-
asssan. which 10 Some people seems nath-
.~v better than ssaxsatinn. ssiA continues
Put there IL a difference. Thousands Of
srsse-s ara contracts are merely deferred
tssrause they can be more safely gfvsa .
little later.
There IL nothing exciting IA the spees-