The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-01
TRADE DURING THE YEAR.
Advance in Wheat. Flour and Cot
ton-Oats at Bottom NOTCH

~
change. Wheat, -four and cotton have
enjoyed pronounced advances. while corn,
oats and provisions have touched the low
est quotations on record, and coffee has
also been weak and heavy. The advance
In wheat came chiefly in September, Octo-
Der and November. followed by a sharp
\ reaction and another recovery TO the pres
ent figues which are almost the top for
the year. Corn and oats in Chicago have
| touched lower point than ever before
| reached since 1861 Cotton prices have
| been influenced BY short crop talk and
! enormous exports, reaching a total on De-
| cember 81 probably never before exceeded.
| Hog products have lately been little
| steadier. Ocean freights had big ad-
vance in the fail. but have lost about one
half of the advance derived.
The total transactions in wheat futures
| on the produce exchange during the year
have been 1.i29. 10000. against 1855 0oo, eco
| last year, and !, Isl. To5. 900 bushels IN 1884
| Corn sales foot UP %, 10000 against 147,
| 7s5,o 600 bushels last year. The sales OF
| oats aggregate 81, 10000 bushels. against
| 5I.o6s,0oo bushels a year ago. Rye sales
| were 1.E4ooo: barley, 100000 against
| l,15o,ooe in 1896; pork. $500 barrels. against
1880 last year; lard. 10000 tierces, against
| 1880 tierces last year; tailow, 2. 500. 900
pounds. against 1s.isi.ooo last year: -four.
4,l00.0u0 barrels. against 5.536,ooo barrels
last year. The range on No. red wheat
during the year has been sac to SLOTS;
No. Northern. 601ac 10 97izc: No. mixed
corn, 25i.c 10 Ac: No oats, 1ac to 2si+c;
spring patent -four, $50 to sos; winter
straits $500 to $4.07; spot cotton. 1-16c 20
sac: pork, s.75 TO sl1 %; lard $40 TO S. 10:
tailow, &c to s7sc; coffee. sls to lac: rice,
Sc to 4ixc; graduated sugar 4lsc to 51ze;
Liverpool freight. TO 81, and Antwerp,
IA to s.
II. G.. Dun d Co.'S Review.
r. G. Dun & Co.'S weekly review OF
trade Will say: There have been more
commercial failures in 1896 than in any
previous year except 1923, about 1850.
against 1897 last year. with liabilities Of
SIS 900 900. against sl73 1se $50 last year. an
increase In number of about II per cent,
and in liabilities o per cent. The hoii
day makes 1t impossible to give exact
figures until next week. but the monthly
returns heretofore prepared show that
SIG. o0o. coo excess over last year was In two
months. August and September, In which
manufacturing liabilities were sl5.60o, 600
larger than last year, trading 100000.
and brokers and other commercial trad
ing so, 800 900 larger. OF the latter class
| Sl1 .04l. AIS cut OF about sls,s00.0co were in
those two months; OF the manufacturing
class s24.s10.S 5s out of about sss, 26o,e coo in
the whole year were IN those two months,
ana OF the trading class 81, So, $50 out OF
about $l0s. so. 600 in the whole year. The
ratio of defaulted liabilities to clearing
house exchanges was A.S per 3, 900,
against So SO last year and $s.sS in 1888.
The average defauited liabilities per firm
IN business was sl?0.57, against $500 last
year and s2soS5 In 1898. For the first time
detailed monthly statements are Also pub
lished for the last month OF the panic year
of 1893. showing commercial liabilities
amounting to Ssi o00, 900.
The year closes with an epidemic OF
failures. mainly 81 the West, and banks
and loan and trust companies or concerns
dependent upon them. The action Of
clearing houses In the various places in
dicates no want OF confidence. and several
banks which have failed viii be enabled
to pay I'm full. but the disclosures OF I'M
| soundness in widely known Institutions,
| In the abnormal state OF popular feeling.
after an exciting contest on monetary
issues. has caused dhstrust and suspicion
where II Is frequently undeservsd-
There has been no monetary pressure
| to cause trouble nor have important
Western products declined In value There
| has evidently been too liberal assistance
| given by some hduciary concerns TO spec
| ulative operations No strain on Eastern
| funds has resulted since the first alarm
| at two large failures. and the money thsn
| sent has all returned
/
| annual settlements approach. Holiday
| duIiness has been intensified by the fall
| ures and the efforts OF great comhina-
| vfons to make new arrangements
With iron. coke. wool. cotton and hides
all somewhat lower, there s. almost uni
veT,al confidence that business will soon
become larger and safer than before in
long time. and several large establish
ments. among them the YonkeTs Carpet
Works which employ 1000 hands when
running fun time. and the Maryland Steel
Company. will now start operations.
Wool sales decreased "a per cent. In the
FIRST four months. and were smaller than
for five years: decreased IS per cent. in the
second four months. when new wool was
coming forward and wers much the small
est ever known. except In the panic OF 1873.
bat enormous sales. mainly speculative
made the aggregate during the asa four
months nearly equal to that OF last year
Wheat has risen 10 the highest point
since June. lss2. because Western receipts
in Eve weeks have been but Is. 2s0.eo0 bush
sls against = So 81 bushels szst year At
Iantic exports. -four included. have been
IN I'VE weeks. ssoeo bushels. against
10 50 last year. The exports from New
York in December were Per cent. larger
and imports L per cent smaller than last
year.
The aggregate OF gross earnings OF al
raj ROADS II En& 0Est%l @-sAArH INK
for Deoem Der - Sc. - 50, q decrease OF
"a per cert. compared with last year. and
q 30 per cent. compared wan December,
Bradssreefs Review.
P~asstreet's on Saturday viii say:
General trade has been rather more Quiet
ard this week proves one OF thu auliest q
;he auH season. wnica a2s followed the
fortnight of revived demand early Ia No
ssrnhar The uneaziness last week. caused
~ Northwest Dank failures. - continued
hv sIrngar enbarTassrnents 81 Chicago and
MINNEAPOLIS These bank failures seem 70
~ tie outcoras Of conditions originating
IN the banks. and tot due 20 the situation
Of general trade
T-nxeAxcnah.e weather. the marking %
inventories and the customary absence OF
demand in wholesale lines have combined
% produce more than TIE usual holiday
aGAlnaSS-
More favorable reports include Ae4gy