Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-16

New York, Jan. 15-Bradstreets to
morrow will say: Except az a few
Southern cities as reported last week
wholesale merchants throughout thu
country report no noticeable chang
in trade features and few. II any, fndi
cations Of Improvement In the near fu
ture. Mercantile collections continue
slower or moderate. Some jobbers a.
chicago. st. Louis baltimore. and
other large cities report an increased
demand for ary good. hats. shoes
hardware, groceries for spring delivery
that in other lines business Is very
dull. Dealers in staples at cities In
Texas. Louisiana. Georgia, Tennessee
and South Carolina report better de-
mand for hardware and agricultural
supplies compared with last. week
Some Baltimore statesmen are securing
relatively fair orders. There has been
no revival in textile circles except in
creased purchases of wool at Boston
by some larger manufacturers. Cot
ton goods continue depressed at first
hands, with little prospect for improve
ment until after the production has
been restricted.
The prices this week show advances
for leather, pork. lard, petroleum and
cotton. Decreases are reported in the
prices Of hides, wheat, corn, coffee,
pig iron and steel billets. No change is
reported in quotations ,or coal, lum-
Der, -four. oats. sugar, print cloths and
wool. Heavy stocks continue to de-
press cotton goods. Iron and steel have
not met with the increased demand ex-
pected, while sugar and coffee prices
has been affected by competition
among the leading dealers.
The exports Of wheat flour included as
wheaD from both coasts OF the Uni,eI
States. this week. have been 2.94s.15i
bushels. compared with 3.2020O0 In the
week. one year ago. The exports Of In
dian corn. this week. were 3,757y01 BUSH
els. compared with 1885, 900 in the week
year ago.
Bank clearings throughout the United
States amount to $l.0is000. 900. this week.
per cent. less than last week, which
was day short. an unexpected shrInk-
age in the volume of the clearings. Whe 4
the comparison Is made with the total In
the second week of January. 1885, the de-
crease during the week Is seen 10 he
nearly per cent. Contrasted with the
weeks clearings show gain of per
cert
Inc December gross railway earnings
were relatively more favorable than
those in preceding months. showing q de-
crease of 1.5 per cent from December,
1885. The November total in 1886 fell oft
10 per cent: from November. 1895. that for
October s.3 per cent. and the September
earnings 40 of l per cent.
The best December reports were by
Southwestern and Southet Ii roads. which
show a gain over the December Totals in
1895. For the calendar year the t.dJ!
earnings of l15 railroads aggregated $fS,-
2ss.o $50. gain over 1885 Of il per cent :.
which year showed a gain over 1851 of d.
per cent. This gain in 1886 WAS Oh a mile
age of 9i.110 miles. II IL months earnings
of q other roads with 43, 900 miles Of
track be included for both years. the az
gregate total of s7S7. 7l6 7s5 on 49, 0s mile:
50 per cent of the entire railway mileage
and gross earnings of steam railroads III
the United States engaged in freight
transportation. These earnings figures
than per cent. on a gain IN mileage of
about the same proportion.
Bradstreets' comparison of prices of 10s
staple articles and products of quarterly
upward tendency on the part of QUOTA
tions during the last quarter of 1886.
There were 40 prices higher, Jan. /. 1891.
than October. 1896. 40 lower 2s practically
the same on both dates-in contrast with
90 higher quotationss Jan. /, 1897. COM
pared with year ago. ~ lower quota
tons than, Jan. /. 1885, and only three
practically the same at the beginning and
end of 1886. The advances during the last
quarter of 1896 were conspicuous among
most of the leading cereals. live stock
wool. various grades of iron. copper, lead,
brick, glass and spruce lumber. Declines
were noticeable for miscellaneous food
products. cotton, hemp. print cloths.
steel, tin. coal. coke. petroleum. rubber
paper and drugs.
There have been AS failures in the
United States. this week. compared with
Az in the second week of January. 1856