The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-03
WAITING MARKETS
Some Are Sagging Downward
Others Recovering.
IRON AND STEEL SvAGGER
WHEAT LOWER BUT SUGAR AND
WOOLEN GOODS HIGHER.
BUT, FAILURES WE'RE FEWER

Number CT Failures, |! Per Cent ard
Liabilities. Is Per Cert Less Than -,
Last Year. and the Grain
Exports Greater.
New York. April 2-Bradstreet's to
morrow will say: The course of general
trade shows some improvement, notwith-
standing an almost complete stoppage of
business in the South Mississippi Valley
by wash-outs, over-fows and floods. The
condition of country rOadways through
out central Western States and the
Northwest is such ais to still further de-
lay collections and check demand from
interior merchants Another drop is re-
corded in prices of Bessemer pig-iron
and steel billets, and in wheat, -four,
coal. coffee and lard, which is, in part,
offset by increased activity and higher
prices for wool and for woolens, for
corn, oats, sugar and petroleum. y
j'heavy movement of fertilizers is reported
in the South Atlantic States.
There are 4,042 business failures in the
United States reported by Bradstreet's
uulli tlIC past uutii Itis IOhpdiN@ win
4,512 in the first quarter of 1896, fall
| ing off of about II per cent. The de-
crease is reported from all sections ex-
>eept New England and the territories.
The larger number of Eastern States
| failures are small ones. The liabilities
of all individuals, firms and corporations
which failed amount to SCI, 900, n
| falling off of Is per cent from the corre-
i spending total last year. Special report
| to Bradstreet's from cities, with refer
| ence to revival in activity in industrial
| lines, indicate there are at work at those
| centres probably net to exceed 100000
1 in excess Of the number employed in
| November last.
| Bank clearances for March at 50 cities
| Throughout the United States show an
increase of Is per cent compared with
| March one year ago, the first monthly
| Increase over a corresponding total one
80 20 since april. 1896.
| The weeks clearings amounting to
| $906000,0e00 are % per cent larger
| than the total last week, five per cent
| smaller than that in the week a year ago.
| 10 per cent less than in the like period of
| 1895, four per cent less than in 1894
and Is per cent less than in the last
| week of March, 1893.
| Exports of wheat (hour included from
both coasts of the United States and
| from St John, n. g., this week amount
to 2.4G4,645 bushels compared with
| 1,749, 600 bushels last week, 1.693. 900
| bushels in the week one year ago, q
| $4,000 bushels in the week two years
| ago, 2,T7S,000 bushels in the like period
| of 1894 and as compared with $685., 900
| bushels in the corresponding week of
| 1898, the largest weeks total exports of
| wheat and -four since the first week OF
| February last. Exports of Indian corn
amount to 4,970,127 bushels this week
compared with 5,S62,00O bushels last
| week, 2, 10000 bushels in the week one
year ago, 7S1, 900 bushels two years ago,
| ,274, 900 bushels three years ago, and as
| contrasted with 944,00 bushels in the
| like week of 1898.
DUN'S REVIEW.
New York, April 2.-R. G. Dun & Co.'S
! weekly review of trade tomorrow will
say:
The markets are still waiting some
| sagging downward and other recovering
| The vote of the House in favor of anew
tariff bill has made no impression in
| business, since it has been expected since
| November that some measure of the
| same general character would become q
law. If the bill stands with its provis-
! ions making new duties applicable April
| /, the chances are that foreign imports
and Treasury receipts may be for time
| considerably restricted.
The market for products has been va
riable and uncertain. Wheat closes
4 10 10
option has declined cents and Western
receipts for the week have been 2,7S1 ,557
bushels, against 1851, ,205 last year,
while the Atlantic exports, -four included,
have been 2,1S5,278 bushels, against
1,2S0,013 last year. The movement of
corn continues so large as to materially
affect the demand for wheat, Western
receipts having been 1,913 ,S62 bushels for
Atlantic exports 4 4,291 500, against L.
O65,396 last year.
Cotton has not changed in price,
although the floods in the Southwest
have doubtless done much harm.
The cotton and other textile manu-
factures are slowly gaining in business,
though print cloths and most staple cot
tons remain unchanged, and restrictions
Of output seem to have given some re-
lief to the market
The iron and steel industry has been
staggered, so to speak, by the decision
of the Supreme Court affecting the rail
roads, since It is apprehended that pur
chases not only OF rails but of cars, loco
motives and bridge materials, may be
affected.
WEEKLY BANK CLEARINGS.
New York, April 2.-Total bank clear
ings for the week in the United States
were $905. .9S6,642; per cent decrease
b.2. Exclusive of New York $392,377,-
1913; per cent decrease OF.