The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-01-18


New York. Jan. 11.--R- @. Dun a Co.
In their weekly review OF trade. shy:
"The now year begins with such unccr-
tainty that business Is somewhat retarded
The proposed sale OF bonds Offers ground
for confidence IN the future. but no one
n able 20 determine what tn earliest cf-
fcctE may be In the money market. and for
the time u 10 "A cnso Of hesitation rather
than hopefuiness. Speculation IN products
has not been active. Cotton Is not un-
changed. although the receipts for tho
week have not been very large. but some
siackcning appears IN the foreign demand.
Wheat Is about one cent higher. and corn
tho Same. without distinct reason In either
case.
The Industrial situation has not MATERIAL
Is changed. There Is much hesitation IN
the iron business. with some advance Ia
Besscmer pig because OF the expectation
that Conncllsvlllc coke and lake ore will
both be doarer and vet lnls1.Ss. " oducts
OF iron and steel are on the whole quoted
little lower Everything turns on tho
contracts for ore which are stiil unsettled.
but the great excess In production or pig
iron over the present demand Is no longer
denied. and Il Is expected that quite NUM-
her OF tho furnaces Will presently discon-
finuo production.
'In boots and shoes the Average OF
prices IL n shade lower. Leather Ia a little
lower. but hides are on the whole about fivc
per cent. stronger az Chicago. with scanty
OFFERINGS The demand for boots and shoes
falls far behind expectations. and many
shops have been closed for time.
1.-THE volume OF domestic trade indicated
by payments through the principal clear
ing houses shows the usual large increase
OF if.G per cent. over last year. but In COM
parlaon with the same week In 1893. shows
a decrease OF ~ ! per cent. Part OF this dif-
ference must DO attributed 10 the shrink
age In prices. but there is also without
doubt considerable decrease In tho dis
tribution OF goods 20 nnal consumers.
Liabilities In failures for the first two
days OF January amounted 10 S9iS.795. OF
which s2io.l07 were cf manufacturing and
sC7s3SS OF trading concerns Failures for
the week have been a3i In the United States.
against 40 last year. and 81 In Canada.
against 81 last year"
Bradstreet's says:
General trade has not improved npprc-
Gladly Some Wholesale houses are send
ing out travellers. while others have not
completed taking account OF stock. Mid
weather at western points has intcrfered
with business Ia some Instances. and tho
week continues TO present characteristics
of between seasons period. The impress
sion n general that uncertainty as to finan-
ciai action by congress and disturbing po-
litical conditions have an unfavornbie In
fiuence on the prospect for new enterprises.
Mercantile collections east. west and
northwest are complained OF. but az tho
south the comparative ease with which
they are made forms a conspicuous excep-
ton. Demand for funds at various western
centers IA the most active for year.
Stocks of wholesalers az many OF the larger
Interior distributing poipts are low. First
adviccs OF statesmen on the read are OF mod
crate demand for goods. Improvement
showing itself first In dry goods. sh5es and
clothing"