The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-06
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.

From Bradstreet's Street of Trade"
The new administration. the certainty
of an extra session of Congress within
a fortnight, and the promise of a new
tariff at an early day which shall pro-
vide adequate revenue and protection,
have done much to stimulate a better
feeling in trade circles and increase con-
hdence in the near approach of an i'm
provement in business.
FEBRUARY this year was a short month.
twenty-five business days, against twenty
five in January and twenty-three in Feb
ruary a year ago.. C%learings were con-
s~equently smaller than in either of the
months mentioned, but compare well with
those for February in 1895 and in 1894.
Gains are few, the only groups reporting
increases over a year ago being those
OF the New England and outhwestern
cities Total clearings at "a cities for
February aggregated $3,66S, ZIG, 2es, a de-
crease of us per cent. from the January
total and 1912 per cent. from that for
February a year ago, but a gain of 8 per
cent over February clearings, 1896, and
4-S per cent. over 1894. Compared with
1893 the February falling off is 81 per cent.
Groups reporting gains over 1896 are those
in New England, 5 per cent, and the
southwest. e.s per cent. Northwestern
critics show the heaviest loss, 1875 per
cent. Only IA of n American cities show
gains, and only 8 of the 20 leading cities.
report February increases over 2 wear.
ago. Total c~learings for IA cities for two
months-$S, LAG, 428, 592Eshow a decrease of 6
per cent. from a year ago. but a gain
oyer 1873 of 4.S per cent. and over 1894 of
rs per cent.
Other favorable features are found in
higher prices for wheat, Indian corn.
pork, lard and spirits of turpentine. as
wen as for steel billets. Steel mills are
fairly well filled with orders and in Soma
lines are inclined to advance prices. Re
cent low quotations for various forms of
IRON and steel a been withdrawn. not
ably for wire and structural material.
Confidence is expressed IN an early adj
vance of prices for tim. and for shoes ana
leather, based on the activity in hides.
Quotations are firm and Unchanged dur
ing the week for lumber, wool, print
cloths, rosin, petroleum, coffee. steel rails.
and BeSserner pig iron, but there have
been decreases for wheat flour, oats, sugar
and cotton.
General trade has been interfered with
by rain, high water in the Ohio valley,
and snow in the northwestern spring
wheat States. South Atlanti and gulf
state cities a had some better weather.
with the mercantile movement equal to
expectations. AT Chicago and St. Louis
I@A1i y Alel1 OC1lA Hb lAALll AVh 1lIl1 Gag III lliG
volume of purchases from jobbers, both
by interior merchants in person and by
mail orders, yet 1t is probable that the
total trade at neither city equals that at a
corresponding period a year ago.
The stock market was raided by the
bears on the antitrust feature of the
Presidents inaugural address. London
has been weak, and sold stocks for the
past two days on the unfavorable Eastern
political outlook. The coal stocks have
been weak On publications unfavorahle
to the Jersey Central Company. In spite
of it's i~rregularfty the market has a very
tone, the sustaining feature being
Lake Shore Company in conjunction with
a syndicate. The strength of
the Vanderbilt stocks, led by Lake Shore.
and New York Central, is the
Foreign exchange is dull and
at 4.S7G4. 87A. The ease of money
speculative buying of long
bills.
Bank clearings this week, amounting
to 81, 012, DOC, 900, show an increase of 80 per
cent. over the total last week, which In
one holiday. Compared with a 4
year ago., this weeks aggregate is s per
cent. smaller, but it is / per cent. larger /
than in the like week of 1895, and 8 per |
cent. larger than in the first week. of
1894. The falling off as compared |
with the corresponding week of 1893, a
period of large volume of business, is 26
per cent, n as compared with the like
portion of 1892 it is 16 per cent.
(From r. G.. Dun & Co.'s weekly Re-
vieW.v)