Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1897-05-22
Business Situation.
(Dun's Review

| plliIl par NlhiCS tdcl vi Allt mum 1hOuli-
tains average only about 10 per cent less
than in April, 1899, The year Of the larg-
est business hitherto, and were 81 per
cent more than in the same month last
year. Yet this is the summary of 357
reports, each covering actual sales OF
leading merchants in a line of business
in one of fourteen cities, which are given
by cities and by different branches of
trade in this issue. They are especially
encouraging in view OF the great fall Of
prices within the five years, and the ex-
ceptional Hoops and other retarding in
huences this year. While speculative
business in nearly all lines is small, and
does not swell clearing house returns as
in previous years, the volume OF legit-
innate trade shows no corresponding de-
crease, and the fact is one OF the highest
importance in all business calculations
Moreover, returns of failures for April
! by branches of business show decrease
in number, amount and average of liza
bilities in almost every branch OF trade,
and in nearly all branches of manufac-
ture except cotton, although failures Of
/ five New Bedford mills for $3.50, 73l
make the total defaulted liabilities for
/ the month 40 per cent larger than last
year, so per cent larger than in 1925,
and 81 per cent larger than in 1894. The
value OF reports tracing failures to par
| ticulor lines of business IS imprcssively
/ illustrated.
Grecian and Washington news have
inflated or depressed speculative mar
| kets, but the main fact is that there is
I less apprehension, and less occasion for
! it, than there was week ago. Produc
ton in some lines SO exceeds demand
| that prices are much depressed, and in
one or two lines there is even curtail-
ment of output, though in general trade
! the gradual expansion continues, and is
still supported by slowly increasing con-
sumption Crop prospects are little
better for cotton because OF the passing
OF floods and the iucreasc.of acreage else
where, and for spring wheat because the
customary accounts Of injury to winter
wheat begin to appear and stimulate
larger sowing OF spring wheat as usual.
| Western receipts continue larger than
last year, 2,34S ,G05 bushels against 2 ,208,-
972, and Atlantic exports also increase,
amounting to ,498, 1877 bushels, -four in
cluded, against Gao, l67 last year. The
weeks exports of corn, 2,725,0 43 bush
els, are sma Ter than in other recent
weeks. The wheat market declined .
cents until Tuesday and then rose ~
cents. Liverpool speculations lifted cot
ton to 7.75 cents, but it has lost 81 six
teeuth, and the consumption N manu-
facture does not appear TO be increasing.
The demand for cotton goods has not
met expectations, and neither the pro-
longcd curt&iIment OF production by
many mills, the large distribution OF
goods since November, nor the great
auction sale has yet suM ed to reduce
the surplus Of goods. Print cloths are
again lower at - cents, The lowest point
ever reached in previous years, and
though some kinds Of goods have found
sufficient demand to advance prices a
little, the expectation of better prices
and larger consumption in future st II
seems to push the mills to exceed pres
ent wants. The same is true OF wooden
manufacture in many branches, for or
ders and sales thus far do not call for as
large production as appears, though 1t
is vet much below the maximum, but
the Increasing demand has been enCour-
aging. Sales OF wool, at prices firm but
no longer aising, fall much below recent
records, indicating that spectators are
glowing less sure OF early profits i'll view
OF enormous supplies on hand. AT the
three chic! markets Their were SO25, 200
pounds, OF which 5,71J,6 900 were foreign,
and in five weeks the sales have been
40, 1877 $50 pounds against 1882, 100 in
the same weeks of 1892, when the mills
were well employed.
Buyers OF mems shoes, which have adj
vanccd much in prices, restrict purchases
as lar AS they can, while in women's
light shoes, which have advanced only
2I4 to 5 cents, the shops are busy. The
production OF leather has been diuin-
ished for more than year in order to
support prices, and in the first week OF
January the Surplus was reported much
reduced and vet for four months the de-
mand has been so restricted that actual
prices are lower than in that week.
Hides are also lifted in vain, and are