The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-06-01

Volume Of Seasonable Merchan.
disc Distributed.
SPRING TRADE Is DISAPPOINTING.

Nearly All Central, Western and south
erD Points Report business Very Quiet
Increased Exports Reported from Pacific
Coast Points-Moderate Increase in Bus
mess Failures Only Two Important
Staples Have Advanced In Price.
New York, May 29.-Bradstreets says:
Results of the spring trade in staples,
which is now over, are disappointing.
The volume of seasonable merchandise
distributed is less than expected, with
out taking into account an improve
ment in business compared with year
ago. Near all central, western and
southern trade centers report business
very quiet. Dry goods continue de-
pressed, cotton products selling with
difficulty, some varieties only on con-
cesslons. The announcement of reduced
or passed cotton mill dividends, and
that several large establishments will
shut down to enable consumption to
| Dvertake production, when coupled with
the comparative indifference of consum-
ers to the lowest prices on record for
| iron and steel, would appear to suffi-
| Of general trade.
Favorable Features.
The more favorable features are rela-
| tive activity among wooden goods man.
| ufacturers who are working on old or
| ders; improved demand for shoes and
| leather; a continuance of the compare
| tive activity on the general, demand
at Savannah, Memphis, st. Louis, Oma-
| ha, Sioux Falls, Minneapolis and st.
| Paul. the better demand for lumber at
the west, and in the trade outlook in
| Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas.
| Increased exports are ereported from
| Pacific coast points, but there is COM
| paratively little gain in domestic trade
| here, except in cattle, wool and hard
| ware at Portland.
| Among twenty of the more impor-
tant staple products only two-hides
and wheat-have advanced, while one
half the number-cotton, lumber, coal,
Bessemer pig iron, steel billets, steel
rails, print cloths, sugar. pork and cof
fee-are unchanged, although there is
a nominal advance in the asking price
for Bessemer pig and steel billets. Now
that wool manufacturers have Stacked
| up, wool is off, as are cotton goods when
sold in quantity; resin is lower, and
among cereals, flour, Indian corn and
oats, to which may be added lard and
| petroleum.
Exports of Wheat.
Exports of wheat (flour included as
| wheaD from both coasts of the United
States, and from Montreal this week,
amounts to 2OS1, 1926 bushels, compared
with 2,655,000 bushels last week, 2064.-
900 bushels in the week a year ago, o.
AOr l.1l- IT,, 81 oh we
ago. 2401, 900 bushels three years ago,
and as compared with 3,2530oO bushels
In the like week of 1893. Exports of
Indian corn also show a falling off,
amounting to 2,1S5,9 bushels this week,
against 100000 bushels last week, L.
720, 900 bushels in the week a year ago,
| loo, 900 bushels two years ago, $4,000
bushels three years ago, and as con-
trasted with 1890 900 bushels in the like
| week of 1898.
There were 257 business failures
throughout the United States this week,
a moderate increase compared with to-
tai corresponding periods in preceding
years. The aggregate last week was
245, compared with 227 in the fourth
week of May year ago, 1873 In the like
week of 1895, similar total in 1894, and
PA in the corresponding period of 1888
There were twenty business failures re-
ported from the Canadian dominion this
week, against twenty-five last week.
twenty-five in the week a year ago, and
thirty-six two years ago.
Week in Wall Street.
Speculation in securities was not only
somewhat more active this week, but
the market has been broader and prices
have exhibited an improving tendency.
The developments Of the week have APP
parently induced large proportion Of
them to change from the bull to the
| bear side, while there are evidences that
large financial interests are inclined to
give renewed support to the market
Europe has not displayed any very
marked increase in its absorption of our
stock but the American department Of
the London Stock Exchange is little
more active, prices there improving in
sympathy with the. better tone of the
| general market, and on favorable COM
ments in the financial press regarding
the better class of transatlantic rail-
roads. Commission house business in
Wall street also shows evidences Of
Improvement.
The principal basis for the expectation
of a general expansion in business
which is reflected by the more bullish
tendency in speculation, is found in the
development Of the week at Washing