The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-31

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New York. December 3d. -Bradstreers
oosnogFOw Will say: Holiday quiet prevails
III eeneral demand. but sustained activity
ID; industrial lines, particularly iron and
rHel, exceptionally large shipments o.
1ccds On orders. liberal cereal exports and
especIatl heavy dealings in speculative
nlarkets were the features calling for
potxbie mention in the closing week Of the
year. Firmness in prices lis likewise an
encouraging feature in most staples.
wheat, though showing a reaction, is high
81 on the week, on large export clearancss
ana other cereals are in sympathy.
Pig iron demand grows and prices for
this product ard for steel rails. steel billets,
p.ates and wire rods are all higher on the
week. while the volume Of foreign demand
FOR our hnished mtal products apparently
increases as the year draws TO its con-
clusion.
Concisely stated, the reports received as
70; the years business in all sections OF
the country points TO an unprecedented
volume Of domestic and export trade, which
is reflected in bank clearances that break
the high record of 1892.
The general lebel of prices OF staples and
securities at the close OF the year Is at
the highest point reached for Ave years
past. kailraai earn gs exceed all previous
years and finally there was smaller num-
Der OF failures ard lower liabilities than
reported in any year for at least Ave years
past. These general results in the country
III large have been achieved, too not
withstsnding the outbreak and conclusion
of foreign war, and in spite also OF un-
Z favorable conditions in some industries,
notably textile manufacturing which COM
bned with unfavorable weather early In
the year and the lowest price for cotton
on record. But the close OF the year finds
an Improvement even in these directions
and returns as TO retail trade and partlc-
ularly holiday business are strik.ngy good
in all sections.
Best reports as to distribution trade
naturally come from the graig growing
sections OF the country which were the
first to feel an improvement resulting
from free foreign demand for our cereals,
hpt indications are not wanting that this
Improvement is gradually pcrcolatipg
throughout the entire bps.nFgs community
and coupled with unprecedented export
trade in manufactured gooSs and the fact
that We are selling Two dollars worth
abroad for every dollars worth we buy
rsndtrs possible the gains reported in dis
tributive trade over 1897 ranging from 10
70 ~ per cont with likewise good reports
from tbs manufacturing centers, excepting
tho textile industries already mentioned.
The export trade OF the country For the
yesI Is the haviest ever known and will
probably erceed s1.25o 900. Don In va!ue, thus
being nearly double the imports. Our ex-
port trade In manufactured goods. 1t might
be observed is the heaviest ever known
and for the first time In oir courtry's his
tory exceed the value Of Imports of similar
goods
There were II ,63s failures in the United
States In 1898. involving liabilities Of sal
yi$s,l1I decrease from 1897 In number Of
1f.2 per cent In liabilities OF a.S pes cent
Compared with 1906 and 1926 the proportion
Of decres.e shown Is oven larger AMI com
rared with 1893 failures were fewer by 2,
per cant liabilities smaller by 81 per rent.
Decreaees are also shown when compared
with 1891, q year Of large trade. bu, Of
numerous srd costly failures. BIZ, rom
pared with 1892 there is an increase shown
% 10 per cent in number and 20 per cent In
liabilities. The tendency OF failures toward
the normal Is illustrated by the fact that
the percentage Of assets 10 liabilities tx the
smallest reported since 1892 and the annual
Death rate that Is the traders failing in
huelness--is likewise tho smallest reported
sipce the latter year. being only l,6 rcr
cent against 1.2o in 1897; LEO in 1898 and 1
per cent in 1892