Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-09
BRADSTREtTS
Says that While Business
Is Now Very Dull
The General Feeling Is that the Con-
ditions will Soon Improve.
Bank Clearinss Show large Increase. In Il.
self Favorable Showing.


morrow, will say: With the excep.
ton of reports from a dozen south At
lantic coast and Gulf states cities, tn,
jobbers at nearly all distributing cen
tiers say that business is dull and with
out new features. The demand has i'm
proved at Chicogo and ST. Louis fol
hats, hardware, shoes and dry goods
but the trade in those lines is fair only
Colder weather has stimulated the pur
chases of clothing at some points. Lit
tie general recovery from holiday dull
ness is as yet reported. At most cen
tiers statesmen are Just starting out
Collections are reported as unsatisfac
tory. but in many instances merchant.
express themselves as hopeful of goot
spring business.
The price movement has had little
significance, advances having beer
shown in hides, which had become rela
lively scarce, turpentine. coffee, wheat
oats and tin. Firm, practically un.
changed quotations are recorded fol
wheat, flour, porn, sugar. Gotten, prin
cloths and petroleum, but reactions arr
reported in quotations for Southern pis
iron, lard and corn.
There is no change in the wool market
the manufacturers declining to buy until
strength has been shown by boots and
shoes since the first of the week. Iron
and steel has been disappointing, as the
consumers evidently anticipate further
reduction in prices and refuse to place
orders. The week has been marked by
exceptionally heavy orders of Southern
pig iron for export. Cotton goods remain
depressed and the market is as unsatis-
ice
expected.
Exports of wheat dlour included as
wheap from both coasts of the United
States, this week. were j, GSS bushels
compared with 3.4,1.0e0 in the first week
of January, 1896 Total exports of Indian
corn. this week, We're i,sl9261 bushels
and constitute the largest weeks aggre-
gate shipments reported. In the week
one year ago. the total was 2.626.O00
Total bank clearings for the week end
ink Jan. q. lone day shore). We're 81, 40
preceding week. also a day short. of 2.
percent. an extraordinarily heavy gain
ClearinSs for the past week are note
NOR i for on being unly less les.
week of 1893, five months before the
panic in that year.
:, The. weeks total failures throughout
largest ever reported. This is contrastcd
with 446 in the first week of 1896.
Railroad earnings are making better
comparisons than for some time past.
The earnings of 60 railroads for Decem-
ber 1896. aggregate $29. 79S. 9cS. a decrea Sc
of | per cent from the like total of De-
cember. 1895. The falling off in Novem-
and in October. per cent. The outlook
favors still better comparisons for jan
uary.
December bank clearings reflect the
quiet condition of trade i'll that month.
The total clearings at 6S cities for the
month aggregate s4,CS9. 900. IA decrease
OF nearly per cent. from a year ago. Il
gain of = per cent. over November and
an increase of 2.3 per cent. over January.
1896 the heaviest months total in that
year Two groups of cities show in
creases for December over a year ago
the New England group. 3 per cent, and
the Southwestern, 55 per cent.
The heaviest decrease is that shown in
the Middle states. 81 per cent For the
6S cities. aggregate sol, O6S 49,. 9O9. a de-
crease from 1895 of SO per cent Every
group of cities shows Il greater or less de-
crease. OF IS cities. compared with a
year ago. p report gains and 80 report
losses.
The total stocks of available wheat
both coasts. United States and Canada
JAM /. are the smallest for any like date
for five years. and the supplies of wheat
afloat for and in Europe. on Jan: /. are
similarly the smallest export for Jan. ].
1881 for five years The past six months
of the cereal year show Il net increase of
wheat stocks in the United States and
Canada of less than 10000 900 bushels the
smallest like increase since these records
have been compiled. and only one-third
of the total net increase in this country
and Canada during the first six months
of 1896.
The earlier wheat crop reports by
Northwestern interests that the export
surplus of American wheat would be eX-
hausted by Jan. /. 1897, for the cereal
year ending June 80. 1897, are met by the
recent announcement that the export
for /
wheat continues to go abroad weekly in
spite of the estimates that we have no
more to spare.