The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-01-01
IN THE MARTS OF TRADE
TRADE IN STAPLE LINES IS GEN.
ERALLY MORE QUIET.

Bank Failures in the West Have Created
Widespread Uneasiness-The Holidays
Also Contribute to the Dullness-Review
of the Failures During the Year-Imme-
diate Future Does Not Look Bright.
New York, Dec. 31.-Bradstreets ON
Saturday, January 2, will say:
General trade has been rather more
quiet, and this week proves one of the
dullest of the dull season which has
followed the fortnight Of revived de-
mand early in November. The uneasi-
ness last week caused by northwestern
bank failures is continued by similar
embarrassments at Chicago and Min
neapolis. These bank failures seem to
be the outcome of conditions originat-
ing in the banks and not due to the
situation of general trade.
Unreasonable weather, the making Of
inventories, and the customary absence
of demand in wholesale lines, have
combined to- produce more than the
usual holiday dullness.
More favorable reports include
heavy exports of flour, and general
merchandise from Tacoma to China
and Japan, the receipt at Chicago of a
satisfactory amount of orders for dry
goods for spring delivery, and an in
creased total volume of business In
1896 among st. Louis shoe manufac-
turers and jobbers, and jobbers of dry
goods, as compared with 1895. Quota
tions for corn, exports of which con-
tinue relatively heavy; for wheat, Of
which the same may be said, and for
coffee and for hides and leather are
higher.
Manufacturers of woolen goods are
buying raw material only to cover or
ders received. Large stocks of unsold
print cloths continue to depress quo
tations, and merchants in leading sta
pie lines at larger distribution centers
do not anticipate an early improve
ment in business. Prices Of oats, Pc
troleum, cotton and print cloths are
lower, and buyers Of western and
southern brands Of pig iron report a
cut of twenty-tye cents ton. Prices
are unchanged and comparatively firm
for flour, pork, lard, sugar, anthracite
coal and steel billets. Since the break
in iron and steel prices consumers ap-
pear inclined to await developments.
Exports Of wheat (four included as
wheat) from both coasts Of the United
States this week amount to 2,707, ,793
bushels, as compared with 3,457,000
bushels in the week a year ago. Ex-
ports of Indian corn this week amount
to 2,656,s94 bushels, against 1,s39,O00
bushels In the week a year ago.
The total number Of business failures
in the United States in 1896 Tin which
liabilities exceed assets) Is 15, 112, an in
crease of 16 per cent. over 1895, when
the total increased per cent, compalr-
ed with 1894, in which year failures All
off 1S per cent from 1898, when the to-
tai was 1850, the largest on record
Total liabilities Of those failing in 1896
amount to $247, 900, ,0O0-55 per cent. more
than last year and 65 per cent. more
than in the year 1894, being exceeded
only by total liabilities in the panic
year 1s93-$4O2, 200, 900.
The ratio of assets to Liabilities
among those failing in 1896 was go per
cent, an evidence Of an unusually high
rate Of mortality, which is exceeded
only by the corresponding exhibit for
1893. The commercial death rate in
the United States in 1895 was Ia per
cent, by which il is meant that Ia per
cent. of every 100 individuals, firms and
corporations in business last year fail
ed. The death rate was exceeded only
by that in 1893, when it was Is per
cent. In 1895 the commercial death
rate was 1.23, and in 1894 ii. was 1.21 per
cent.
The failures in New England during
the year 1896 numbered 1887, with lla-
bilities Of $24,S55,138 and assets Of $780,
874S26, against 1885 failures in 1895,
with liabilities of $19,914,153 and assets
of $9,020,244.
Wholesale merchants at Toronto re-
port general trade dull and no move
ment of Importance likely before the
middle of January. Commercial trav-
elers at Montreal are preparing to start
out soon, but merchants report collec-
tions slow and the country roads bad.
At Halifax Christmas trade did not
meet expectations. Collections are only
fair There are 2,179 business failures
reported from the Dominion Of Canada
for 1896, an increase of 3O6. The larger
proportion of the gain is accounted for
by an increase Of 100 business failures
in Ontario, 121 in the province of Que
bee and Al in Nova Scotia. The in
crease of about IA per cent. in number
of failures in the Dominion is accom-
panied by gain of only per cent. in
aggregate liabilities, which in 1896
amounted to $16,208,0 900.
An Alleged Plot to Kill Cecil Rhodes.
Cape Town, Dec. 31.-The Cape Times