Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-22
THE STATE OF TRADE.
Bradstreet's.

Bradstreet's.
There is moderate Improvement in sta
pie prices and in distribution OF Woolsn
goods SHOES hats and nardwssre r Tlou afs
Kansas City and Omaha. In south caro-
lima, Tennessee and Louisiana jobbers re.
port moderate revival in demand from
some of the business delayed by yellow
fever guarantees. Trade reports from
Georgia and Texas are quite lrTeguiarT;;
Some cotton planters are cOmpeHed 10 sell
cotton at a net. loss to meet advances n.s5s
made earlier in the season and have little
or no surplus with which to buy mercnan-
disc. Others, notably in Texas, continue
to hold cotton, which Decays mercantile
collections and in some sections has an
unfavorable influence. Colder weather
and Missouri river valleys have helped
retail trade. Manufacturers of iron, steel,
agricultural implements, stoves. railway
cars and wooden goods report an active
demand and large output, although the ap,
pearance of speculative steel has resulted
in weakening the price OF billets and
like tendency on the part of Bessemer
pig iron.
Higher prices are recorded for wheat,
corn, oats. syrup hides, leather, SHOES
and for turpentine. The reaction IN iron
and steel is likely to be followed by an
advance if the present rate of consump--
ton continues. Lower prices for wheat
flour and pork are expected TO recognize
the advances on wheat and Indian corn,
so that a lower price for copper is prac-
tically the only important decline in the
week. There is the usual long list Of I'M
changed quotations. the more important
those for cotton, print cloths. wool, lu1n-
Der, sugar and coffee.
Bankclearings for six business days end
ing with November IS amount to sl,22S,O CO.,
Goo. an increase of per cent. compared
with last week, but an increase of nearly
per cent. compared with the IKE week
last year, 10 per cent. more than IN 1892
nearly 26 per cent. more than in the sec
ond week of November. 1894, &c per cent
more than in 1898 and 2 per cent. more
than in the like period of 1891. This
er than in 1892 and 10 per Gent. less than
in the corresponding period in 1890
There are 2SS5 business failures, reported
throughout the United States this week,
compared with 273 last week sos in the
week a year ago, S23 two years ago, 29o
three years ago, and as compared with
35S in the like week of 1895.
Favorable gross railway earnings IN the
third quarter foreshadowed more satisfac-
tory net returns Reports of 126 railroad
companies, comprising nearly 20 per cent.
of the railroad earning capacity of the
country, show better net returns than
gross. pointing to the effect of judieious
economies by railroad managers. Total
gross earnings for nine months aggregate
$3.50. 434 ESQ, and net earnings $2o2, 2o3, i5s.
gain in gross of less than per cent, but
an increase in net of nearly II per cent
The gain the first half of 1897 over 1886
was less than one-tenth of l per cent. in
gross and only AS per cent. in net, SO that
the favorable nature of operations in the
third quarter may be inferred. Gains in
gross and net over last year follow gains
in 1896 over 1895 of 1.6 per cent and three
tenths Of l per cent in gross and net re-
spectively. and in 1885, in turn. showed a
good increase over 1894 showing that the
RAILROADS are partakers in profitable trade
conditions. Only one group-the coalers-
show decrease in gross earnings from
the total for nine months a year ago, but
a gain of l per cent. in net In every
other. group of American roads the posi-
ton is materially better than last year,
heaviest gains in net being shown by the
Pacific granger and southern companies
in the order named