The herald., 1897-09-04
Bradstreet's Report

NEW YORK, Sept. 3.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say: Previous activity in all
lines Of trade is maintained. Some whole
sale merchants at Western centers report
the largest volume of August trade on
record. There has been an increase in the
consumption of cotton by southern mills.
Western iron and steel mills have orders
to keep them busy until Jan. 1st In the
central western states the bituminous coal
strike has had further depressing effect
upon the general Industrial situation. At
the northwest some commercial houses
have had to work overtime to meet the
demand for goods, and the warm weather
is reported to have practically assured
the Indian corn crop. On the Pacific coast
wheat exports have been Stacked by ina
bility to secure crews for vessels. Mercan-
tile collections have greatly improved in
some sections. Last weeks general and
unprecedented expansion of prices for
staples is continued. Wool, cotton and
woolen goods, hides, leather, white pine
lumber, sashes and doors, iron and steel
bars, billets and rods, wire nails, barbed
wire and southern foundry iron, wheat.
lard and flour have advanced and higher
prices are expected for boots and shoes.
Lower prices are recorded for cotton,
wheat, flour and coffee, while those for
oats. pork, print cloths, petroleum and
coal are unchanged. The weeks exports of
wheat are the largest. with two exceptions,
the second week of September and the
fourth week of August 1891 Total ship
ments amount to 6.26S,247 bushels, against
5, ,149, ,653 bushels last week, 3,369,S63 bushels
last year, 2,26o261 bushels in 1895, 800, 300
bushels In 1894 and 4.902, 900 bushels in 1S93
There are only 1876 business failures re-
ported throughout the United States this
week, against 210 last, 1886 in the week a
year ago, 1S4 two years ago, 2O7 three
40 md IL IL IN
There are 80 business failures reported
from Canada this week. Last week the
total was SO and year ago it was 80.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Bradstreet's review of the stock market
will say: Stock prices have continued to
advance this week. and the trading has
been on an exceedingly large scale. The
market has been at times excited, and
while manipulation by bull leaders and
cliques is apparent, there has also been a
growth of public participation. The mar
ket was influenced by denials that there
is any widespread or serious damage to
spring wheat and by reports minimizing
the effects of frost in the corn belt. The
western railroads are stated to be over
burdened with grain freight, and the bus
mess has spread to the trunk line roads
and those of the south and southwest. The
improvement in the iron trade is consid-
cred a most important factor for the rail-
roads, while the expected settlement of the
soft-coal miners strike will remove the
only disturbing circumstance of import
ance. Railroad earnings. almost without
exception, show large increases Most of
the speculative movements which have
been based on reports as to the probable
or possible increase of dividends, or the
payment of them by companies which have
not heretofore yielded return upon their
stocks. Low-priced securities have been
the object of considerable attention and
some buying. On Friday the market was
active, strong and excited under the lead
of st. Paul and the granger stocks gener-
ally.