Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-04-08

According to Bradstreet's for the
past week. trade conditions improve
very slowly. Special reports from fifty
cities, with reference to revival in
activity in industrial lines. indicate
there are at work at those centres
probably 100. 900 in excess Of the num-
Der employed in November last. The
increases are largely among employees of
manufacturers of wooden goods. shoes,
clothing, machinery, engines, agricul-
turaI implements, bicycles, carriages,
furniture, iron, steel, glass and ship
building. Depression still exists among
some branches Of the wooden goods in
dustry, in coal mining and cotton
goods manufactures. Bank clearings
for March at eighty-two cities through
out the United Suites show an increase
OF l.S per cent compared with March
one year ago, the first monthly increase
over a corresponding total one year ago
since April, 1896 The March gain
over February this year is IA per cent,
but the decrease from the January
total is SO per cent. Compared with
March. 1895, March this year shows a
gain Of more than 4 per cent, and with
March, 1S9A, it is nearly ~ per cent,
but compared with March clearings in
1898. two months prior to the outbreak
of the panic. last month'a total shows
a falling of of % per cent. The weeks
clearings, amounting to $500, 600, 900,
are 2. 3 per cent larger than the total
last week, per cent smaller than that
In the week year ago. 10 per cent
less than in the like period of 1895, A
per cent less than in 1894 and Is per
cent less than in the last week Of
March. 1885. Exports Of wheat flour
included as wheat from both coasts of
the United States and from ST. John,
N. B., this week, amount to 9, AGA, Gas
bushels, compared with l,7i9, 600
bushels last week, 1893 600 bushels
in the week year ago, 1853, 900
bushels in the week two years ago.
Exports OF Indian corn amount to
1870. l27 bushels this week, compared
with $500, 600 bushels last week,
2, 1913, GOO bushels in the week year
ago and 49, 900 bushels two years ago.
r. G. Dun & Co. report that the
failures for the first quarter OF 1897
are about two per cent less than for
the same quarter OF last year, but are
-, All. 22i less in aggregate of liabili-
ties. or Ia per cent. This important
difference may not be fully appreciated
unless it is noticed that the average OF
liabilities per firm failing is only
sl2. 2O9, which 10 smaller than IN any
other year sinGe 1892. 1t is especially
worthy OF attention that the current
or ordinary failures not exceeding
$1,000 in amount of liabilities have
been much smaller than in previous
years. In some respects this is the
safest indication obtainable of the
general stoutness of trade. Exceptional
failures which may occur at any time,
the result of prolonged but uusuccess
full struggle to outlive the disasters Of
past years, are less instructive as re-
spects tho present volume of com
mercial Indebtedness to be satisfied
than the reports exclusive Of the larger
failures. The fact that these com.
mercial failures arc smaller in average
amount, and also in number, than in
either of the preceding three years is
safe indication of more prudent ant
substantial business. !"
Altogether the condition of affairs ia
such as to warrant the belief that hut
for the pernicious intermeddling with
the tariff by Congress, the country
would soon enjoy general wave Of
business prosperity.