The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-11
Have Checked the Onward
March Of Business.
ALL PRICES HIGHER.
What is Usually the Dull Sea-
son OF the Year
Shows a Continuous Improve
ment in All Lines.


The opening of congress, with the
usual message and reports, has not dis
couraged business, as some predicted,
but all speculative markets are strong
er than week ago. The productive
industries, even in the season usually
about the dullest of the year as to new
orders, met definite Improvement in
demand for important products, pre-
sumably the fruit of a prevailing con
Viction that new business will begin to
crowd the works after the new year
starts.
The outward movement of wheat and
other products continues so heavy that
foreign exchange has fallen three
fourths OF cent, and instead of ex-
ports or gold which have marked De-
cember in recent years, imports would
come if gold were wanted. Securities
are advancing with reason in the in
creased earnings of railways, SAT. .085,-
sol for November on reporting roads in
the United States, 1913 per cent larger
than last year and SO larger than in
1892 A striking comparison of five
years shows that in each of the last
three months earnings have been
a larger increase in November than in
October or September.
The sudden rise in December wheat
at Chicago to $1.09 would do harm were
It not based on avowed contracts to
ship some millions of bushels to Eu-
rope. That fact and the continued for
eign demand, in spite of such contracts
has helped a rise of 115 cents here.
Western receipts for the week were
5,798, III bushels against 1881, ,347 last
year, and Atlantic exports, including
flour, 4,612, 1877 against 1875, 651 last year
and so great is the foreign shortage
that the Outgo of corn last year, far
greater than ever before, is again ex-
ceeded, 3,313 0S6 for the week against
3,055, 780 a year ago with the price near
Iy cent higher for the week
are running low is discredited by re-
ceipts from farms. Cotton is q, six
teenth stronger in spite of the eSti-
mates running from 100000 to II ,000,-
600 bales by well known authorities. A
strike in English mills is no longer
threatened and the possibility of one at
Fail River has little weight
The demand for wOolen goods has
clearly improved and more wool has
just been purchased abroad and is be-
ing imported, the sales in domestic
markets having been for the past week
only 2,660,000 pounds at Boston, and in
two weeks II, ,050, 400 pounds at the three
markets. While some grades have been
sold largely at prices lower than a
month ago, quotations are generally
sustained.
There is more demand for iron and
steel products in preparation for rail
way work, bridges and buildings next
year and on contracts for export, in
Guiding one for a government bridge in
with large shipments of various pro-
ducts to England and other countries.
Foreign contracts for 10000 tons of
rails are pending.
In and about New York. bridge and
building contracts call for 20, 900 tons
and Chicago works are figuring on nu-
merous contracts for 200 railway cars.
The formation of the American Steel
and Wire company is expected to
strengthen prices and cause some buy
ing. While bessemer at SO and grey
forge at $9.15 are slightly lower at
PittSburg, prices are stronger at Chi
cago and in all quarters heavy business
is expected after the new year. A sale
of lake copper, said to be 10000, 900
pounds, at II cents, so strengthens the
demand that 1887 is bid but tin and
lower, while future contracts for tin
plates have been made at 2.9O per 100
pounds.
ConnelIysvilIe coke production is
151, 100 tons weekly, against $4,000 in
November, and no advance is now ex-
pected.. Anthracite coal is weaker and
sells here at 1915 and S3.S5 for stove.
Failures in the first week of Decem-
Der were but s., ,617 ,240; manufacturing,
S739, APO; and trading, 81, ,791 $40.
Failures for the week have been 312
in the United States against $50 last
year, and 29 in Canada against 43 last
year.
BRADSTREET'S
Bradstreet's says:
Mild weather throughout most of the
country has interfered to some extent
with the distribution of winter weight
clothing and other seasonable goods,
and trade from first hands is quieter
even than last week Jobbers and re-
tailerS. however, report a steadily in
creasing and in some regions very act
i've business in holiday goods, grocer
les and kindred products Reports from
the south continue as a whole very
good with especially favOrab bic ac-
counts from New Orleans, Atlanta,
Nashville and the central south.
Collections are, as a rule, very sat
isfactOry in spite of the low price for
cotton. Favorable reports come from
Chicago, Kansas City, St. Louis and
St. Paul, in the central west and north
west while the Pacific coast notes a
heavy increase in the trade, present
and contingent, based upon enlarged
Alaskan demand. San Francisco re
ports the wheat crop improved by re-
cent rains, at conservative estimates
pointing to a yield Of S1O,eoO tons Gen
eFal export trade on the coast is very
heavy The price situation is one of
sustained and even aggressive strength
Wheat is higher, partly on improved
statistical position. but largely in sym
pathy with the Chicago squeeze, which
had advanced prices 10 cents per
bushel within a week in that market.
All cereals have sympathized with
wheat, and coffee, copper, cotton, dairy
products, leaf tobacco and raw sugar
are also among the prominent staples
which have been enhanced in value
The decreases have been few and slight
shading at Pittsburg and sympathet-
, ic weaknesses at other points on an
immense production.
Cereal exports continue very large,
though showing a falling off from last
weeks total Total exports of wheat
and flour from the United States and
Canada this week aggregate 6,o05, 63S
bushels, against 6.699,0 600 bushels last
week; 4. .222, 900 bushels in the week of a
year ago: 2,45S, 600 bushels in 1895; p
526. 600 bushels in 1894, and S,217,000
bushels in 1893.
Corn exports also show falling off,
aggregating 3,O6S, 900 bushels this week.