The San Francisco call., 1898-08-08
TRADE CONDITIONS PROMISING.

!
 last week It was probably the prenontory l symptoms of the closing of the midsummer -stagnation and the opening of the fall trade The bank clearings which showed loss during the pre- ceding week again exhibited gain, which though slight being only 3o per cent, was still better than loss An unfavorable feature, however, was the ln- creased number of cities and towns which showed decline in these clearings.
 significant feature was the increase in New York, the percentage being 23.o per cent This may be due to an improvement in the movement o general ler- chandise or to more activity in the stock market It is probably the latter, for there is marked re- vival in Wall street both in stocks and bonds, though the latter are preferred The railway shares are show ing more movement and the "grangers" sold very well at the close of the week, indicating that the crop prospects of the Great West favorable and that the trade conditions Of the interior of the country are promising. The issue of bonds has been III keen demand for investment and railway bonds have also been moving off well at hardening quotations. An especially gratifying feature of Wall street during the week was the general indifference with which the be- ginning of gold importations from Europe was re- earded as there is such plethora of money in New York that the import of few millions more or less cuts but little figure The fact is the United States has more gold coin than 1t knows what to do with. All of which is gratifying to the average American citizen As for Wall street, 1t IS more interested Tn the size of the corn crop than the imports of gold from Europe.
 The grain situation was rather better last week. Although close observers estimate the American wheat crop this year at 7oooooooo bushels the farm CTS are holding back their stocks to extent, and this coupled with smaller deliveries to distributing points, put the market up 2H cents. The exports from Atlantic ports larger again, being 3,64I, GOO bushels against 253o,ooo for the same week in 1897 The wool market IS exhibiting rather animation especially in the choicer grades, though some manufacturers here and there, closing down rather than pay the prices asked for wool The de mand for staple cotton reported better, but quota tons for manufactured goods show no improvement owing to the large present production. The iron trade Is rapidly working around into prime shape again. and manufacture is once about up to its full volume of output Plates reported in unpre ccdented demand both East and West and the struc- ural works are running full time with heavy orders coming in from all directions. Prices naturally firm under these conditions and manufacturers exacting full figures.
 The country's failures last week numbered Io6 against 23z for the same week last year The dis tributive trade i'll staple goods shows an increase notably in the West Northwest and Southwest owing largely to the fine crop prospects. The general tendency in prices IS upward the record of the week being an advance in g, about one-third of all
 
 A Nothing is heard of the trade fac tor, and it has apparently passed into the limbo of tback numbers.
 '6 The local situation is not behind the West in firm of values. Farm products rule showed general appreciation last week There was slight re- covery in wheat, the long slow decline being at last varied by fractional advance, which may be the pre- cursor of still better prices. Barley and corn also @improved somewhat and hay kept up fairly in spite of very heavy arrivals. Canning fruits, such as pears peaches and aprcots, strong, and pears rose to $45 per ton, though excessive receipts weak ened the market somewhat toward the close In dried fruits the feeling particularly st advances being noted in apricots and prunes both of which were in brisk demand for future delivery. Wool hides and hops were unchanged and quiet Hogs declined as the local packers could not pay the quotations and come out even on the packed product Provisions ruled dull Dairy products all advanced and SUD- plies rather under the requirements of the mar ket Flour marked down 25 cents Der barrel in sympathy with the decline in wheat which however, immediately began to improve after flour had been reduced. Canned fruits were quoted 6rn, and in brisk demand both for domestic and ore;en account lThe output will be smaller than usual this year owing to the light fruit crop, and every case packed will probably find market at good prices The wholesalers reported a good business on the whole with few fluctuations n any line The money market undisturbed, there being plenty of available funds for solvent borrowers at the usual rates of interest
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 It is to be hoped that England and Russia can get