Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-12-13
THE STATE OF TRADE.
Bradstreet's.

Bradstreet's.
The mild weathep throughout most of
the country has interfered to some extent
with the distribution of winter weight
clothing and other seasonable goods, and
trade from first hands is quIeter even
than last week. Jobbers and retailers.
however, report a steadily increasing and
in some sections very active business in
holiday goods, groceries and kindred pro-
ducts. Reports from the south continue.
as whole. very good, with especially
favorable accounts from New Orleans. At
lanta, Nashville and the central south.
COLLECTIONS are, as a rule, generally very
satisfactory in spite of the low price of
cotton. Favorable reports come from Chi
cago, Kansas City, St. Louis and st. Paul,
in the central west and northwest, while
the Pacific coast notes a heavy increase
IN trade. present and contingent. based
upon enlarged Alaskan demand San
Francisco reports the wheat crop inn
proved by recent rains, with conservative
estimates pointing to a yield of SIS. 900
tons General export trade on the coast
is very heavy.
The price situation is one of sustained
and even aggressive strength. The idex
number of ninety-eight leading staples
showed perceptible increase during the
month of November and a further i'm
provement is indicated this week. Wheat
is higher, partly on improved statistical
position. but largely in sympathy with the
chicago squeeze" which has advanced
prices 15c per bushel in that market with
in a week. All other cereals have sympa-
thized with wheat and coffee, copper. cot
ton. dairy products. leaf tobacco and raw
sugar are also among the prominent sta
pies which have been enhanced in value.
The decreases have been few and slight,
pig iron being most prominent. owing to
slight shading at .Pittsburg. with sympa-
thet1c weakness &C other points on an i'm
mense producto@# Talk of pool to con-
troll production Was stiffened prices of
wire and nails. 3teadiness has been a
feature of the price of pork, lard and
wool.
The railroad interests of the country are
enjoying prosperous times. For the month
of November they show the liveliest gain
in amount and percentage replrted in any
month for years past. Large increases
are feature, and the tendency toward
gains is almost unvarying. The total
earnings of 1G4 roads for the month just
closed amount to about $4,000 COO a gain
of over $S.500.000. or q per cent, as CONS
pared with November a year ago. The
next best gain to that reported in Novem-
Der was noted ~ September IA per cent.
ana the present gain is larger than any
preceding gain or loss for five years past.
The Pacific and Southwestern roads have
done relatively best with gains Of rela-
lively. ~ and 90 per cent. but the gran
gers and central western roads reports in
creases in excess d per cent. The to-
tai earnings of 101 roads fir eleven months
TINS year aggregate over s456, 600 600 an
increase over last year of per cent. fol-
lowing gain last year on leading roads
OF 2 per cent over 1895 The Pacific roads
make the best showing for the eleven
months period with gain of ~ per cent.
while the coal roads report the smallest
Increase. only about 2 per cent
Bank clearings are again very heavy
the total at II cities for the past week
aggregating sl.S52 o0o,ooo 2 gain Of per
the week a year ago of 32f Der cent over
1894 and q per cent over 1892 Compared
with the wear 1892. when clearings ap-
preached the maximum of recent years
the decrease is only CO per cent. When
compared with 1891 the increase is IA
per cent;