The record-union., 1897-12-11
lohhers and Retailers Report In
creasing Business.
Ihls Especially So in the South and on the
Pacific Coast.
All Speculative Markets Stronger
Than a Week Ago-Foreign Ex-
changes Have Fallen Three
Quarters Of a Cent, Owing to
the Heavy Outward Movement
Of Wheat and Other Products.

NEW YORK. Dec. 10.-Bradstreets $
tomorrow will say:
Mid weather throughout most OF the
country has interfered to some extent
with the distribution of winter-Welehl
clothing and other seasonable goods'
and trade from first hands Is quie'ei
even than last week. Jobbers and re-
tailers. however, report steadlly IN
creasing and in some regions very
active business in holiday goods, gro
ceries and kindred products. reports
from the South continue as whole
very good, with especially favorable
accounts from New Orleans, Atlanta
Nashville and the Central South. Col
lections are, as a rule, generally very
satisfactory, in spite of the low price
of cotton.
Favorable reports come from Chicago,
Kansas City, st. Louis and ST. Paui
in the Central West and Northwest
while the Pacific Coast notes heavy
increase in the trade, present and con-
tingent based upon enlarged Alaskan
demand. San Francisco reports the
wheat crop improved by recent rains,
with conservative estimates pointing to
a yield of $1,000 tons.
General export trade on the coast IS
very heavy.
The price situation is one of sustained
and even aggressive strength. Wheat
is higher, partly on improved statistical
position, but largely in sympathy with
the Chicago squeeze, which had ad-
vanced prices 15c per bushel within
week in that market. All cereals have
sympathized with wheat, and coHee,
cotton, dairy products, leaf tobacco ana
raw sugar are also among the promi-
nent staples which have been enhanced
in value The decreases have been few
and slight. shading at Pittsburg ana
sympathetic weakness, and at other
points on an immense production.
Cereal exports continue very large,
though showing a falling off from last
weeks total. Total exports of wheat
and flour from the United States and
Canada this week aggregate 6,OOo.6oS
bushels, against $685. 600 bushels last
week; 1929 coo bushels in the week
year ago in 1896, 1926 600 bushels in
1894, and 3,217,Oo0 bushels in 1898.
Corn exports also show a falling off,
aggregating 3,06S,000 bushels this
week, against 4,5S0, 600 bushels last
week, and 3.541 COO bushels last year.
There are 292 business failures re-
ported throughout the United States,
as opposed to $50 last week; 3S1 in the
week year ago. and 313 in 1898.
NEW YORK, Dec 10.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'S Weekly Review of Trade will
say tomorrow:
The opening of Congress, with the
annual message this reports, has not
discouraged business, as some pre-
dfcted, but all specu2 2ative markets are
stronger than a week ago.
The productive industries, even in the
season usually about the dullest of the
year, as TO new orders met a definite
improvement in demand for important
products, presumably the fruit of pre-
vailing conviction that new business
will begin to crowd the works after the
new year starts.
The outward movement Of wheat and
other products continues so heavy that
foreign exchange has fallen three
quarters of a cent, and, instead Of the
exports Of gold which have marked
December in recent years imports
would come il gold were wanted Sc
curities are advancing with reason, in
the increased earnings of railways,
S4T. .0S5, ,S01 for November on reporting
roads in the United States-16.S per
cent. larger than last year. and SO
larger than in 1892 A striking COM
parison of five years show that in each
of the last three months earnings have
been greater than in any previous year,
with a larger increase in November
than in October or in September
The sudden rise in December wheat
In Chicago TO 81 90 would do harm
We're II not based on avowed contracts
to ship some millions Of bushels to
Europe. That fact and the continued
demand. in spite Of such contracts
have helped rise of 112c here. West
ern receipts for the week We're 5,59S, I'll
bushels. against 1861 314 last year. and
Atlantic exports, including flour. 1872. :
31T. against 2915,6J1 last year. and
so great is the foreign shortage that
the outgo of corn last year, far greater
than ever before, is again exceeded
3313,0S6 for the week. against D. 05o,-
80 a year ago-with the price nearly
j cent higher for the week The report
that the Western supplies are running
low is discredited by receipts from
farms.
A strike in English mills is no longer
threatened, and the possibility of one
at Fall River has little weight.
The demand for wooden goods has
clearly improved, and more wool has
Just been purchased abroad and is be-
ing imported, the sales In domestic
markets having been for the past week
only @.ooo0o pounds at Boston, and
in two weeks IL ,050. 400 pounds at the
three markets While some grades have
oeen SOLO largely at prices lower than
month ago, quotations are generally
sustained.
ihere Is more demand for iron and
steei prooucts in preparation for rail-
Way Mork, bridges and buildings next