The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-22
WEEKLY TRADEREVIEW.
no RdDTCAL JMPROyENENT BUT
MORE TAgORiGLE INFLUENCLS
Are Reported Than For Some Weeks-Iron
aud steel In Moderate Demand-No
Changes in Lumber and Coal.
NEW YORK. Feb 2i.-Bradstreets will

NEW YORK. Feb. 2l-Bradstreets VIII
say tomorrow
while no radical Improvement has APP
ueared ia the general trades, more favor
abe influences are reported than Tor
some weeks. Among the less satisfac-
tory aavices telegrapned Bradsuects are
me cneck 10 distribution OF scheIdl mei-
cnanuise. due to the extreme con- anu
continued conservative purchases py III
tenor merchants west anu southwest
owing 10 large stocks OF merchandise
having been carried over AdNices IRON
Texas are that country merchants are
asking extensions and reports from Iead-
ing citics south are mat the recent Eela-
lively favorable state OF trade IS marked
bv less active demand in Almost al IncS.
No Improvement Is shown In the demand
Tor cotton ana woOl!en goods, manuiac-
turcrs OF eacn continuing 10 HHu CAUSE
The record Of declining quotations be-
gun last week IS continued Tor some
varieties Of cotton. OWING 10 reaction IN
The price of cotton, in The tendency OF
quotations Of wool TO decline, ana lower
prices OF wheat flour. wheat, corn, oats,
pork. lard and petroleum.
Iron and steel IN moderate demand
are steady. with request for rails reiotve-
ly most encouraging, ana there Is no
change in quotations for lumber or Tor
coal The conspicuous adVices are on
coffee and sugar, although leather ~
No more satisfactory view Of trade
conditions in this and the preceding week
is reported than the bank clearings. the
total for six business days ending Feb
ruary 10Th being Sl,u93, 100000, an In
crease of IL per cent. over the total last
week and Of 81 per cent over the total
tor the third week Of February, 1885.
Among the Industries, boots and shoes
ana manufacturers of leather are easily
conspicuous for reporting relatively the
most active demand, and PittsburR and
Baltimore jobbers OF general merchandise
continue previous reports Of a sausiac-
tory spring business. Hardly less FAVOR
able than the Improvement in bank clear
ings IS the sudden drop In the total num-
Der of business failures throughout the
country, that for the week being 2'o.
against 3sl last week and 32T I'm the cor
responding week one year ago.
DUN.
Dun x Co, in their Weekly Review
OF Trade. will say tomorrow
Liabilities IN failures during the TWO
weeks 81 February were S1.GN0.%.', against
SJ55O.9S6 last year ManufacturinS
g. 1G3. 9SG against 81 5g231g last year.
S3.353. Ol9 last year. Failures for the
week have been 80 i'm the nited states,
against 302 last year. and 66 ia Canada,
against 20 last year.
The restoration of the Treasury reserve
has been effected with remarkably little
monetary disturbance. though stringency
in many markets, greater elsewhere than
here. and greater in commercial thah 10
other Icons. has somewhat retarded bust
ness The realized price OF bonds
strengthens public confidence. Prompt
action OF the House on the silver Dill mas
helped 10 increase foreign confidence IN
/ American securities In no important
branch Of business is there yet apparent
a disposition TO expand. Purchases 10
cover sevral months actual consumption
/ were made within a few weeks on rising
markets last fall. Distribution 10 con-
sumers have been glow, ana reductions
I'm prices have not brought renewal OF
such buying. Prices OF commodities, as
a whole are now at the lowest average
ever known. though only half OF ] per
cent. below the average OF September 3,
1880 Hides. leather, ana ihef ptonntta,
textile goods. and IRON pioducls' ma. Z
! declined much since that date, and meats
arc ''70 IRON MARKET
IN almost all manufactured products the
cocliue continues. though in some classes
quotations are so irregular that the
| change cannot be accu s-tely measured.
| Bessemer pig iron and gray forge are a
shade lower at Pittsburg, and structural
beams and angles have been reduced 10
secure business. but new orders are COM
paratiyely small. and some furnaces IN
( that region have been banked. Though
] business is less than was expected at
! Chicago 4 IS increasing for materials for
cars and car wheels and is excellent IN
] DlalfS. ne cast -illif buEiiifNH - HNAih'
I here. but little is doing in rails. and the
! new bar classification Is not favored.
! Prices are steady at Philadelphia plates
! doing "A little better. but other branches
are dull.
Textile manufactures fail as yet to meet
1 the demand expected, and prices are gem
orally weak. open reductions averaging
/ per cent. for cotton goods. and since
I January lst about per cent Not much
/ increase Of buying answers TO these re
| auctions and Of some goods accumulated
stocks are quite large The volume OF
! domestic trade reflected by clearings IS
! 1871 per cent larger than last year. Rail
| road earnings I'm February thus far are
! 1876 per cent larger than last year. Stocks
weakened until Thursday. but then adj
vanced and closed about eighteen cents
| per share higher for railroads.
Exports Of products in two weeks OF
FEBRUARY have been I per cent. larger
/ thBn last year, with prospect OF increase
! IN grain, though cotton bills are growing
! fewer Imports no longer show the In
/ crease formerly observed. but for two
/ weeks have been 1873 per cent. larger
than last wear