The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-01
LARGER IN 1896 THAN FOR ANY
PREVIOUS YEAR EXCEPT
ING 1898.
OVER ONE In A HUNDRED.
THE LIABILITIES AGGR F1G ATED
NEARLY A QUARTER OF A
BILLION DOLLARS.
BUSINESS OF THE WEEK DULL.
Usual Holiday Demand UnfaVOrabIy
Affected by the Unreasonable
Character of the Weather.

NEW YORK, Dec. 31.-Bradstreet's
on Saturday will say: General trade
has been rather more quiet, and this
week proves one of the dullest of the
dull season which has followed the
fortnight Of revival demand early in
November. The uneasiness last week
caused by the Northwestern bank
failures, is continued by similar en-
barrassments at Chicago and Mime
apolis Three bank failures seem to
be the outcome of conditions original
ing in the banks and not due to the
situation of general trade.
Unreasonable weather, the marking
Of inventories and the customary alb
sence Of demand in wholesale lines,
have combined to produce more than
the usual holiday dizziness. More IA
vorable reports include heavy exports
OF flour and general merchandise from
Tacoma to China and Japan, the re-
ceipt at Chicago Of satisfactory
amount Of orders for dry goods for
spring delivery and an increased total
volume Of business in 1896 among st.
Louis shoe manufacturers and jobbers
and jobbers Of dry goods as compared
with 1885,
Exports Of wheat (four incIuded)
from both coasts Of the United States
amount to 2,7O7,793 bushels, as COM
pared with 2,111,O0O bushels last week,
3,457,0 900 bushels in the week year ago,
1,814,000 bushels two years ago, and
with 2,026,000 bushels in the correspond
ing week Of 1893. Exports Of Indian
corn this week amount to 1856 1894
bushels, against 2,46SO bushels last
week, 1,S39,000 bushels in the week a
year ago, 649, 900 bushels two years ago,
900 bushels three years ago, and as
compared with 244,OOO bushels in the
like week of 1892
Total business failures in the United
States in 1896, in which liabilities ex-
ceeded assets, number 1912 an in
crease of 16 per cent over 1895, when
the total increase was per cent, as
compared with 1894, in which year fail
ures fell off Is per cent from 1898, when
the total was 1850, the largest on
record. Total liabilities of those fail
ing in 1895 amounted TO S247, 000, 900. So
per cent more than last year, and IS per
cent more than in 1894, being exceeded
only by total liabilities in the year
-$fUZ,UOU,UUU. Inc rat1O OF assets
to liabilities among those failing in
1896 was 60 per cent, an evidence of an
unusually high rate Of mortality, which
is exceeded only by the corresponding
exhibit for 1893. The commercial death
rate was, in 1896, Al per cent, by which
it is meant that Ia Of every
100 individuals, firms and corpora
tions in business last year failed. This
death rate was exceeded only by that
in 1S93 when it was 1.51 per cent. In
1895, the commercial death rate was
1.23, and in 1894, 1.21 per cent. There
are 2,179 business failures reported
from the Dominion of Canada for 1896,
an increase Of 303. The larger proper
ton Of the gain is accounted for by
an increase Of 1870 business failures in
Ontario, and 81 in the province Of
Quebec and Al in Nova Scotia. The
increase of about IA per cent in number
Of business failures in the dominion is
accompanied by a gain Of only per
cent in aggregate liabilities, in 1896
amounted to 16,20S, 000
The aggregate Of gross earnings of
all railroads in the United States, re-
porting for December, is S21 923. 536 a
decrease Of "A per cent compared with
last year and of 9.3 per cent compared
with December, 1892 The loss on
Western roads, especially grangers,
compared with 1892, is still much great
er than on roads in other sections. A
review of the year shows a larger
movement than last year, except at
Indianapolis. East-bound from Chica-
go this years tonnage is below 1892.
In comparison with last year the gain
was largely in the first half Of the
year In the last quarter there has
been decrease at each center, except
at st. Louis.