The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-10-17
VOLUME OF GENERAL TRADE
HAS Nor INCREASED, BUT AN EARLY
 IMPROVEMENT IS HOPED FOR.

Present stagnation Due to Apprehension
 Concerning the Result of the Election
 The Unfavorable Weather Has Had a
 Bad Influence, Too-Many More Mills
 Are Running Than Week Ago.
 New York, Oct. 16.-Bradstreets to- morrow will say:
 While the volume of general trade has not increased materially, new con- ditions are favorable to an early im- provement, Notwithstanding many in- terior movements, dealers prefer to wait until after election before placing orders, and others are willing to order subject to cancellation should the movement for free coinage be success full. Sentiment at larger business cen- ters regards the success of the cam paign for sound money as assured.
 In some instances merchants are dis counting that view of the situation by placing orders. Features of the busi- ness week are the continued advance In prices and strength of wheat and the maintenance of a large volume of wheat exports, notably to India and Australia. While wool is no higher, holders have sold enough to render them indifferent to immediate business and are holding stocks for full figures.
 While new orders for iron and steel products arc not being placed freely
 they would be if makers would accept current quotations for 1897 delivery
 Southern pig is 25 cents higher, and notwithstanding the growing export trade in iron and steel here, checked by higher ocean freight rates and cut prices by German steel makers, it is anticipated that within three weeks the
 domestic demand will meet expecta- tions.
 Unfavorable weather early in the week was more effective than usual in depressing general trade, owing to light interior stocks and merchants being in the habit of ordering for immediate wants only A hardening tendency in money emphasized the situation. Mer-
 cantile collections continue difficult to
 make except in the large spring wheat
 states and adjacent territory, where collections have been easier on the ad- vance in and free shipments of wheat. 1OtlOA SOOdS COuStll0C All hlioettloltiS- tory demand. Mills are running on full time, but stocks tend to increase, as
 jobbers are slow to pay the advance ! asked while having lower priced stocks
 on hand. Depression in woolen goods continues marked, the mills running | being on part time, or samples On the Pacific coast trade has stim-
 ulated by the advance in the price of ! wheat and continued activity in ex- ports of lumber and other staples nota- | bly, to Japan, Australia, South Africa and India. Trade is revfving in the l San Joaquin Valley, California, since the completion of a competing railroad. Prices continue the upward tendency
 of several weeks past. Exports of wheat, flour included, from both coasts of the United States and from Mon treal, this week, amount to 4,156,S17 1 bushels, as against 2,409,000 in the week one year ago.
 | The total number of business failures l throughout the United States this
 week is 279--ten less than ill the second
 week of October, 1895. Business | throughout the province of Ontario is of moderate volume, but is satisfactory, as prices generally are firm and those | for wheat higher.