Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-02
daily Dylk
Il q j. /.
the Number Of
Over 1895.
w. ressssd ia ,umbsts

New York, Jan. 1.--Bradstreelk.
Saturday, Jan. 2,fwill say: General
trade has been rather more quiet and
this week has proved one Of the dullest
Of the dull. season which has followed
the fortnight az revived demand early
= The ev aneasines. Of l..t2eek caused
by Northwestern bank failures is con-
tinued by similar embarrassments at
Chicago and Minneapolis. These bank
failures seem to be the optcome of con-
ditions originating in the banks and
not due to the situation Of general
trade.
The unreasonable weather. the max
ing Of inventories and the customary
absence of Umand in wholesale lines
have combined to produceSmore than
the usual holiday dullness.
The mpre favorable reports include
. heavy exports of flour and general
merchandise from Tacoma to China
ind Japan, the receipt at Chicago OF
satisfactory amount of ordegs for dry
pods for spring delivery, and an in
ased total volume of business in 1896
ong ST. Louis shoe manufacturers
d jobbbers, and jobbers of dry goods
compe red with 1895.
Quotations for corn, the exports of
which continue relatively heavy; for
IAeat, of which the same may. be, said.
"a for coffee, hides and slea1her, are
danufa eturers of WOODEN GODS are
tying raw material only to cover orders
ceived The large stock of unsold print
pths continues to depreSS quotations,
merchants in leading staple lines at
larger distributing centers do not am
nate an early improvement in BUSH
prices of oats, petroleum, cotton
Ant cloths are lower and buyers of
tern and Southern brands OF pig iron
pit cut of Is cents ton. Prices are
hanged and comparatively hrm, for
pork lard, sugar anthracite coal
md steel billets. Since the break in iron
and steel prices. consumers appear in-
clineds to await Developments. !.
wheat from both coasts of the United
States, this week, amount to 2,1Ol, 79S, as
compared with 3,45700o bushels In the
Exports Of indian corn, this week week
amount to 1855. 994 bushels, against l,SS9.-
90 bushels In. the week q year ago.
The total number of business failures
in the Un5eed States in 1896: lin which
liabilities exceed assets), is 15.112. an In
crease of 16 per cent. over 1895. when the
1924 in which year the failures fell Off
IS per cent. from 1888, when the total was
1850, the largest on record. .
The total l1aD1l1t1eS OF tuOSc LdHih6 -
1895 amounted to $247, 0OO. 600, or 50 per cent.
more than last year. and 65 per cent
ed only by the total liabilities in the
panic year 1898, or s402. O0O, O0o
The ratio of assets to the. lia6 en les
cent. an evidence Of an unusually high
rate of mortality which is exceeded only
by the corresponding, exhibit for 1888. =, s,
The commercial death rate IN. the
United States in 1896 was Ia per cent, by
which it is meant that Ia per cent. OF
every 100 individuals firms and corpora
tions in business. last year. faiied. -,
This death rate was exceeded only py
that In 1893 when it was is per cent. IN
1895 the commercial death rate was La.
Faiiures in New England. during the
wear 1896 numbered 1887. with liabilities LES
Of s24 S55 i3S: assets. sos $685. against 1850
failures in 1895. with Liabilities OF Sls'Si4'
153 and assets of 5000, 44.