The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-10
NO IMPROvEME EMIT.
Bradstreeps Review OF Trade Finds Little
Encouragement In Business Condition.

New York, April 10.-Bradstreet's says:
The business situation. as a whole shows
no gain. Staple lines are only fairly ac-
tive. Overfows. washouts and floods con-
tinue to do damage in the Mississippi
and Missouri river valleys, throughout
q greater portion of which general trade
remains practically at a standstil.
Rainy weather extending from the CEN
trail western to northwestern spring
wheat states has rendered country roads
almost impossible, with the natural ef-
feet upon business. Every exertion is
making TO prevent the breaking Of
Mississippi river levees, but with the
river at the top Of the levees and an i'm
mense volume Of unusually high water
still to find its way to the gulf, the out
look Is FOR further overfiows and disas-
ter. AS the region threatened is the
richest portion of the cotton belt the
prospect for delay in planting a second
time indicates the possibility Of heavy
reduction in acreage this year, hence
the advance In cotton this week.
Pig iron, steel billets and cast iron pipe
are lower in price, and the demand for
steel and iron Is not as heavy as has been.
although the price Of lake ore has been
fixed at a low figure and an ore pool
formed. Wheat has continued as dis
appointing as iron as to price, dropping
nearly cents a bushel on Bradstreet's
report OF an increase In the worlds
visible supply last week instead of a
decrease, as expected, due to a larger
quantity Of wheat i'm sight abroad. Total
domestic stocks of wheat April were 81
per cent smaller than one year ago. and
more than 40 per cent smaller than two
years ago.
Chicago has only about held its own,
little, il any, improvement being re-
ported in trade there. st. Louis. more
dependent on traffic with the flooded
region. reports a decrease in volume of
business. Continued rains in Kansas
and Missouri emphasize trade depres-
sion in that region.
There is a moderate gain in bank clear
ings, which reflects business for a time
prior to the floods West and South. The
increase this week compared with last
Is 12 per cent, 20 per cent compared with
the like week in 1896, 60 per cent con-
trasted with the like period in 1895. IA
per cent larger than in the correspond
ing week OF 1894. but the total is Is per
cont smaller than in April, 1893.
Jobbers at Omaha, st. Paul, Milwaukee
and Portland, Ore, report a better de-
mand, notably in dry goods, oils, paints.
glass. shoes and leather. Prospective
advances in the wooltariff are behind an
other rise in prices of wool and woolens.
but cotton goods thus far fail to advance.
because restricted production is meeting
current demand. Nearly all staples. ex-
cept those mentioned as having ad-
vanced, have declined
Business failures remain at the lower
level recently reported, 232 this week.
compared with PIP last week. 231 i'm the
week a year ago. 225 two years ago and
21l three years ago.
Net railway earnings for February
point to economies in operating. more
than offsetting a small decrease i'm gross
receipts.
Exports of wheat (Hour included as
wheaO from both coasts of the United
States and st. John, N. B., this week
amount to 2,036.797 bushels, compared
with 2,464, 900 bushels last week. I. 764 OOO
bushels in the week year ago, 1884. 900
bushels in the week two years ago.
1,955,000 bushels three years ago. and as
contrasted with 2.94S000 bushels in the
like week of 1893. Exports of Indian
corn amount to 4,645,5S5 bushels this
week, compared with 1870 900 bushels
last week, 1891 900 bushels in the week
year ago. $4,000 bushels two years ago.
1.421.90 bushels three years ago. and as
contrasted with 9OS, 900 bushels in the
like week of 1898.