Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-20
sRAosTaeEr's REPORT.
Failures Continue to Decrease In Number
Other Features Of Bulletin.

New York. March la-Bradstrect's. to-
morrow, will say: Another week OF IT.
regular trade brings an element of dis
turbance in the outlook for fight over
the new tariff bill. apd disappointment
among manufacturers ~of wooden goods,
silks. cutlery and other lines at various
tariff schedules. Spring trade In jObbing
lines Is over, collections are slow at
many points, and there Is no change In
demand or supply. except that there IL
a request for cheaper grade OF goods.
southern Mississippi valley have re-
stricted the country order trade. and
rain and high water have exercised IA
similar influence In the Ohio valley and
the south Atlantic and Gulf states.
The movement of general merchandise
Is checked at the Northwest by the uD-
favorable weather. Deep SHOWS in west
crn Minnesota and eastern Dakotas have
almost suspended business in that re-
gion. and railway traffic Is at a stand
still. South Dakota live stock has not
wintered as we'll as usual. and heavy
losses are reported. The demand for
cotton goods is disappointing. and manu-
facturers have moved some lines only al
concessions In price. The iron and steel
in the near future. Practically lower
prices for bessefner pig and biliets seem
to have been the result of speculative
over-purchasing at the late revival In
expectation of an advance, which has
not shown Itself. The delay in fixing
Lake ore prices has had an influence.
There is less demand for iron and steel
FOR export. particularly for Northern
products.
AT most OF the larger centers tn. feeling
OF announcement is stronger amogg mer-
chants at the prospect for continued i'm
provefnent in trade. yet the increase In
volume of business in dry goods. grocer
les. hats and clothing compared with pre-
ceeding weeks and with like weeks in pre-
vious years does not equal anticipations.
There is an Improvement In the demand
Tor wool. for which the prices are higher.
eastern wool manufacturers report more
inquiry for goods, though the condition
Of this industry stili leaves much to be
lesired. The prospects of the wheat crop
N the state OF Washington are excellent
The newly developed Pacific coast export
trade Is ma rked by a shipment of doors
sash and finishing lumber from Tacoma
% South Africa. Trade advices from
Texas are more favorable than for a
month.
The additional favorable features il
,onnd in the tendency of prices. those for
wheat. corn, oats. pork. lard and sugar.
in addition to wool. being upward and
the quotations for print cloths. cotton.
petroleum. and lumber firm. unchanged
In addition to reactions in iron, steel. cot
Son specified wheat flour and coffee are
over The total bank clearing through
business days ending with March Is, an
Increase of IS per cent. over the proceed
ng week. but decrease of a like pro-
portion compared with the corresponding
otal In 1885.
The exports of wheat flour included as
yheaD from both coasts this week. in
.icate a continuation of the recent check
the import movement. They amount to
SO 434 bushels. compared with 1882. 600
Ii the third week of March. 1896. The ex-
1orts of Indian corn continue very heavy
amounting to 5.9S9.3S bushels this week
compared with 1.S02, 600 in the like week of
s96.
The forcing trade totals tend to lessen
$ the year advances. The monthly i'm
'orts are approaching nearer parity
rith exports. The February exports ex-
eed those of last year. &c per cent. Feb
uary imports were SO per cent smaller
han last year. excess of February eX-
torts over imports was only "a per cent
against 81 per cent in January over jan
AIRY, 1886. nearly 100 per cent in Decem-
'er and previous months in 1895. The ex-
sorts exceed imports since September
S95, an excess for eight months is $Sl2-
1850. or % per cent. Eight months i'm
DortS We're 21.9 per cent smaller than last
ear. but exports are PIG per cent larger.
,hipments of breadstuffs and cotton
smong agricultural products. and of
many classes of manufactured goods
n account for large favorable export bal
nee. There has been an increase Of late
n the value of imports on duty-free goods
ill.
The tendency of failures continues to
decrease IN number, the total for the
week being 23l. compared with 800 in the
bird week Of March, 1896.