Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-15
BRAosTasers REPORT.
Falling on in Demand Tor Staples Both in
United States and Canada.

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New York, May 1f-Bradstreets, to-
morrow, will say: The unexpected
falling off in the request Dor staple
goods within month results IN "a
period of comparative calm at a time
when a general revival in demand nad
been looked for. Wool Is in less demand
and is weaker although 1t is between
seasons with some textile manufactuf-
ers. The movement of cotton fapfics
continues disappointing, and the out
look Is for further restriction OF pro-
duction, as it requires concessions 10
sell goods. Print cloths are quoted
lower but the most conspicuous
changes in prices are those for pig
iron and steel billets, which are not the
lowest on record. Among the leading
articles for which quotations are I'M
changed are coffee, petroleum, anthra-
cite coal and lumber. The advance Tor
tea is based upon the tariff proposals
and that for cotton on the lookout LOT
reduced acreage, but higher prices iof
nearly all cereals are not the outcome
of discoveries or now conditions.
Wholesalers report that the volume
of business consists of filling IN orders,
even Chicago not claiming more than
to have held It's own in volume or goods
distributed. The continued subsistence
of the floods In the bower Mississippi
river valley has encouraged wholesale
merchants in that region.
Bank clearings aggregate SLooi.Voo'
this week. 10 per cent. less than last
week. IL per cent less than In the
second week of May 1896.
There are 25l business failures re-
ported throughout the United states,
this week. compared with 22S last week
PCS in the corresponding week of one
year ago. and 2l0 two years ago, lsb,
three years ago. and as compared win
255 in the like period of 1898.
The aggregate April railroad earn
ings show about the same gain as IN
March The total April earnings of
1871 companies, operating nearly s9,Ob
miles of road, aggregate s37.922,2i4. a
gain OF Is per cent over April OF
year ago. The net railway earnings
are relatively more favorable than the
gross, for while the latter show only
IL per cent gain during March az com
pared with a year ago. the net earn
ings increased fully $ per cent. Fer
the first quarter of 1897. the total earn
ines of sc leading railroad systems ag-
gregates si46. 500, 900. decrease OF 2.5
per cent. from the Hike total in 1886.
while the net earnings amounted TO
$43 167. 600. a gain of 40 of per cent.
Exports of wheat -four included as
wheaD from both coasts Of the United
States and from Montreal this week
amount to 2,1s3.S75 bushels, as com
pared with !. 799. 600 bushels last week.
500. 600 bushels in the week year
ago. Exports of Indian corn amounted
TO s3095. s34 bushels compared with
2. i27 600 bushels last week. and 1865
900 bushels in the week a year ago,
General trade at Montreal has bacn
checked by the provincial election and
tariff changes have demoralized the
prices of some articles of Canadian
manufacture There is a fair trade
with Toronto wholesale dealers in dry
goods and groceries. the latter going
to mining camps at the Northwest
Ontario farmers are busy seeding. The
season is backward in Nova Scotia
General trade is full at St John, \. Il.
where shipments of lumber have de
creased.
Bank clearings at Winnipeg. Ham
ilton. Toronto. Montreal and Halifax
aggregate s22 .267, SAL compared with
$21. 2i2. 600 last week. and with S20621.
900 in the week. year ago. There are
81 failures reported from the Dominica
of Canada. this week against 80, last
week, "a in the week of year ago.