The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-01-16
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.

ported last week. Wholesale merchant
Throughout the country report no i1etiee'
if any. Indications Of Improvement Ii
the near future. Mercantile collections
continue slow or moderate. Some jobbers
at Chicago, s.: Louis, Baltimore and
other large cities report Increased de.
mand for dry goods, hats, shoes, hard.
ware and groceries for spring delivery
but that in other lines business is. ver5
gun. Dealers in staples at cities In Texas
louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee and Suutf
Carolina report q better demand for hard.
ware and agricultural supplies compared
with last week. Some Baltimore sales.
men are securing relatively fair orders
circles, except increased purchases OF
wool at Boston by some of the larger
manufacturers. Cotton goods continue
depressed At FIRST hands, with little pros
| pect for Improvement until after produc.
ton has been restricted.
December gross railway earnings are
relatively more. favorable than those ir
preceding months, showing a decrease OF
1.6 per cent. from December, 1895, while
the November total in 1896 fell off 10 pei
cent. from that in November, 1895, that
for October 43 per cent?. and September
earnings seven-tenths of 1 per cent. The
best December reports were by south
western and southern roads, which show
gains over December totals in 1895. Fol-
the calendar year total earnings of IL
railroads aggregated sos, 286, $50, a gain
over 1895 of Ia per cent, which year. II
will be recalled, showed a gain over 1891
of 81 per cent. This gain in 1896 was on
2 n1 mi,sag sa, Of q ss,l1e y miles lies + ele eyer
5000 miles of track be included for both
years an aggregate total of $751;, TIC, 1856 on
1877 20S miles of track is obtained, repre-
railway mileage and gross earnings 81
steam railroads in the United States en-
gagged in freight transportation. These
Warnings figures represent a gain over
d gain in mileage of about the same. pro-
p%eftions showing that the year 1896,
though far from satisfactory in this re-
spect, witnessed at least no falling off
from the railway earnings totals of 1896
and 1894.
.Bradstreet's'' comparison of prices of
1S staple articles n products ut quar-
terly intervals for a series of Years
qHetatiens during the last quarter of
1886. This is shown by there being 40
prices higher on January ! 1897, than on
2S practically the same On both dates-in
contrast with 30 higher quotations Janu-
airy l, 1897, compared with one year ago,
Y lower quotations than on january /,
1896, Il only 8 practically the same at
the beginning and end of 1896. Advances
during the last quarter of 1895 were con-
spieueus among most of the leading ce-
reals. for live stock. meats, dairy pro-
duets. SOM vegetables, hides, leather,
woods, various grades of iron, copper,
lead. brick, glass and spruce lumber: de-
cliHes were noticeable for miscellaneous
food products for cotton. hemp, print
cloths, steel, tin, coal, coke, petroleum,
rubber, paper and drugs.
Prices this week show advances for
leather. pork, lard, petroleum and cot
prices of hides. wheat, corn. coffee. big
iron and steel billets. No change is re-
ported IN Quotations for coal, lumber.
Hour. oats, sugar, print cloths n wool.
WV fnnIE ~. ~ ~ y 80
goods. Iron and steel have not met with
the increased demand expected; while
sugar and coffee prices have been af-
fected by competition among leading
Bank c1earings Throughout the United
States 81 ,04S, 600; 900 this week, 5
per cent. less than last week, which was
one day Short, an unexpected shrinlage in
IS made with the total in the second
week of January, 1896, the decrease dur
ing this week is seen to be nearly 2 per
cent. Contrasted with the correspond rg
weeks total in 1896, tfTis weeks clearfngs
show a gain of Z per cent, and with the
like total in 1894, an increase of 10 per
cent. But when compared with c1earings
for the second week Of january: 1898, the
total for six business days ending with
and including January IA this year shows
a falling off OF % per cent.
There have been ATS business failures in
the limited States this week, compared
with 48S last week, Az in the second week
Of JANUARY, 1896, 37s In the like week of
1895, and as compared with 404 in the cor
responding period of 1884,
Exports Of wheat uaolr Included as
wheat) from both coasts of the United
States this week sanoilrt to 2,94S; 154 BUSH
els, as compared with 3,10S, 900 bushels last
week, 3, 202. 900 bushels In ttie week one
year ago, sS6a,gm ! bushels Y IN the week
ago. and as c~ur1trasted with 1851, 900 BUSH
els in the like week of 1899. EXPORTS Of
Indian corn this week amount to s,757,000
bushels, as compared with 4,S19. 0C0 bush
a years ago, 651 200 bushels in the week
two years ago. 2,052, 600 btshels three years
ago, and as contfasted with 655;O0O BUSH
els IN the like week Of 1893.
Stock market values in New York have
developed considerable strength on. short
covering Under professional manipulation
In spite Of tire recent ffrteiise dizziness the
stock market has been relatively bare of
interests manifest a belief that amy I'M
provement in trade would lead to activity
and advances iii securities. The favorable
trade balance for 1896 the fact that the
present Congress has exhausted its dis
tIrbfng influence As factors IN the specu=
satfve Situation. Foreign exchange 81 firm
as 4.STM for demand sterling and 4.S4M for
market being continued buying of long
stefpng by bankers to be held IN uan till
BIT natures.
From R.. G. Dun & Co.'s stWeekly Re-
view"
The greatest growth and prosperity
The country had ever seen came suddenly
in 1879, after several months of disap-
pointment because specie resumption had
hot yet brought the benefits expected. 1t
Is rot the largest and most powerful ves-
sci that can be started most quickly,
1t takes time fer new confidence to reach
through easier money markets, larger
orders, resuming mills; expanding efn-
ployment.. and larger distribution, to the
results which make still greater and last
ing gain possible. Such gradual and
steady improvement has been III progress
for more h two. months. The output
of pig iron has gained 1913 per cent. in
December and 41.6. per cent. since Octo-
Der /. Thu output of coke has increased
SS.7 per cent. since october |. Sales of
wool Rave again become large, though
not yet FUZZY reported. Money markets
feel a steady Increase III demand for
Commercial and manufacturing loans.
Additional works have gone into operas
ton each week in january, and the
working force II larger than at any other
time for six months. Best Of all there
Is 80 little crazy excitement that the gain
may be ascfibed to the deliberate jddg-
faeft ef the abIest and most prudent men
ii Is not 4 time Of hfgh prices. Natural
and iastifig growth does. not begin, as the
fairy did III 1885, BY forcing up prices
<Sfk1A1i4f s<ora1d IN It'd a<Sr1c11f1afnG Ho.