The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-01-30
IN THE MARTS OF TRADE
SPHERE WEATHER CAUSES 4 FAEL. ING OFF iN GENERAL BUSINESS,

There Has Been Decrease, However, in the Number of Failures--Bank Clear
 ings Show sharp Falling OT-Down- ward Prices in Staple Lines-Exports
 of Wheat Less Than Year Ago. New York, Jan. 29.-Bradstreets to- morrow will say:
 There hes been falling off in gene ral trade owing to the heavy fall of snow and cold weather. Low tempera- ture has stimulated demand in a few retail lines, but joobers report sales of dry goods, clothing and farmers sup plies checked. There is a moderate in- crease in distribution of heavy goods, but commercial travellers have general ly reported that they are even more conservative than earlier in the month, and that the wholesale trading in Jan uary, except in lines specified, was, smaller than for years. Mercantile col lections are interrupted, and the inn provement looked for in iron and steel ia not in sight.
 1 The most favorable feature of the business week is the sudden and sharp | falling off in the total number of blisi- ness failures in the United States, the aggregate being s26 as compared with 429 last week, a decrease of 103 Wheil compared with the corresponding week of 1896, this weeks falling off is CT. ] There have been increased sales of hides and leather, in some instances of shoes of coal, fertilizers and southern pig iron for export. At Boston, Charleston, Galveston and San Fran cisco there are moderate gains in trade compared with last week. The feature ] of the Pacific coast business situation continues to be the relatively large pro-. portion of foreign trade. Eastern and middle state iron and steel industries are in an unsatisfactory condition, but southern furnaces announce nearly 12,- 900 tons of iron sold for export, with Russia in the market as would be buyer
 | The heavy business in raw wool within fortnight continues, and there is still an active demand. Boston sales; for three weeks aggregate nearly 30,- 000 900 pounds, of which more than two- thirds is domestic. The London wool sale develops sharp competition be- I tween American buyers, and wool suit, able for use here is as high as at any l time during the December sale. Mems |wear woo1ens, heavyweights for next lfall, are attracting attention, and good borders have been booked.
 l Bank clearings at cities throughout the United States show a sharp falling off from last week. about 8 per cent. but an increase of per cent. compared with the corresponding total one year ago.
 The downward movement of prices for some of the more important staples continues conspicuous, notably for flour, wheat, oats, lard, coffee, petrole- um, turpentine and tin plate. Quota- tions for Indian corn, pork, sugar, cot ton and print cloths are practically un- changed Concessions have been made in prices for iron and steel, yet quota- tions are nominally unchanged. | Exports of wheat (f1our included as wheat) from both coasts of the United States this week amount to 2515, ,4v8 DuSnelS, as compared Wltn z,00U,UU0 III | the week a year ago. Exports of In- dian corn amount to S011, ,062 bushels this week, compared with 3,197,000 in the week a year ago.
 Bank clearings at Winnipeg, Toronto. Montreal, Hamilton and Halifax aggre- gate s1s035,00O this week, 10 per cent. less than last week and a fractional gain as compared with the week a year ago. The total number of failures throughout the Canadian dominion this week is fifty-six. Last year 1t was six 1 ty-three.