The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-01-04

Prices at the close are, as a whole, Oh
a higher range than at the opening. |
advances being most numerous in food
products, raw silk and wool, while de-
creases are to be reported in raw cot
ton and cotton goods, nearly all met
ais. anthracite coal and petroleum.
Railroad interests share in the revival
of prosperity. with gross and net earn |
| ings larger than any year since 1899
and the year 1898 opens with the bust
! ness community, with the few excep-
tons noted, in a very cheerful frame
Of mind.
\ heavy falling off in number and
in liabilities of individuals, firms Or
corporations failing was shown in 1897
from 1896 and the four preceding years.
\ partial return to more or less normal
conditions is further indicated by q
drop in the percctage Of assets 10 La
bilities and by a reduction in the com
mcrcial death rate az compared with
every year since and including 1S93.
The total number Of failures reported
to Bradsteeet's for the year just closed
was 1909. a decrease Of 1000 failures
and over 10 per cent from 1896; a falling
off of - per cent from the panic year of
1893 and a decrease Of more than :
per cent from 1891, a year Of pros
porous business, but Of numerous bust
I ness cnbarraSSmentS. Compared with
1880. there was a gain in the lumber
Il Of failures shown Of about half Of one
per cent, while compared with 1892 there
was an increase Of = per cent. Liabili-
3: ties Of those fang constituted one Of
the smallest totals Of recent years.
amounting to only S15G. 1GG. 1000, a de-
crease Of 81 per cent from 1891, but Z
rain Of A per cent over 1892. The leas1
favorable showing is made by the East
crn States, which report increases II
=. number and liabilities over 1896. II
al spite Of depression in cotton prices
n Southern failures and liabilities arr
-. smaller than a year ago, while the
greater falling off is reported in tn
4 West and the Northwest.
J., The commercial Geath rate. that ]
Z, the percentage Of those in business fail
> ing in 1.J. was 30 as compared witt
1.4O in 1896 and 80 in 1893.
s. Those reliable induces of the bushes
T situation-bank clearings-point to tn
wear 1897 as Witnessing the heavies
> business. botn speculative and CONNER
81 cial. lone since the record year 1S9
H. just preceding the panic. The tot;
I'll cIearings at fifty eight cities for ID
year. one week estimated, aggregate
"a at least S36. !926. 900. 900, a sum larger b
~ l. per cent than the total of 1896.
Isl wear of silver agitation and an eXcitin
~ Presidential election; s per cent large
IN than 1895, the disappointing year whe
III a boom in iron and kindred produc
led to false hopes Of business improy
ks ment: % per cent over tie year 1S9
when the depth of depression followil
ed the panic may be said to have bee
an reached; > per cent over 1893, the We;
lSt Of widespread disaster in financial al
ses commercial circles. and only seven p
eW cent smaller than the total Of 1897 whe
in the boom following the large foreis
demand for American bread-stuffs al
MT other products reached its height.
10 Practically the entire grain clearIn.
in 1897 was concentrated IN the Ia
ac- six months, and it is a significant ia
Ted that the heaviest monthly total report
the for five years past was reported IN [
month of December. Grains we
ties heaviest III The Northwest, the MICE
me and New england State, and smallt
for IN the South and Southwest, at t
IN latter of which the trade improyeme
per WAS rather alter in arriving.
in The total export of wheat (tionr) frc
usi- both coats of the United States a
ave Canada amount to 5,495.O0O bushels
double those in this week a year a:
en- and 100000 bushels larger than (
-ing week. Corn exports are slightly small
.ght aggregating 4,0S6,0G0 bushels again
,urg 47S9.O0O bushels last week and 2,I4
ling GOO bushels last year.
business failures. for the Dominl
,een of Canada and New FoUpdland for /
tails calendar year 1897 amounted to -
1876 Wit, total liabilities Of $13.219,Ooo,
J, of falling off of Il per cent in number a
at 10 per cent III liabilities from a yt
The ago.