Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-25
THE STATE OF TRADE.
Bradstreets.

! BradSreets
| General trade and speculation this week
! have exhibited most Of the characters
! tics which have become popularity asso-
ciated with the near approach OF hoSti-
tiles. While there is reported a further
auieting Of distributive trade in some
lines at the cast and south, traceable al
most directly to anticipated warllke con-
ditions there is lack Of regularity even
i'll the reports from those centers, which
/ serve to show that now that the uncer-
| taintv so long prevailing has been dis,
| PEELED trade conditions are beng SNAPPED
| to the new order Of things There y con
sequently greatly increased aetlv IVY ~
| conlpanfed by excited markets and heaNy
price advances. While trade in the inter
Tor sympathizes to certain extent WIN
| this price movement there is still per-
ceptibly good trade reported entirely OUT
side of this, which serves TO prove that
the prospect of war has not had nearly as
much effect inland as ~ mas rad on the
| coast.
In commercial lines this week much in
| terest and activity has been manifested
| in the speculative and actual demand Tor
| leading staples, such as corn, wheat, oAts,
| flour, coffee, sugar. most pork products
and cotton. reflection of this active de-
| rnand, which had its rise. so tar as wheat
| and cotton are concerned, among foreign
buyers who wish to anticipate any posi-
| Bile interruption of supplies, Is found IN
/ the movement VI prices. Nuithi LpA WV
| first time for many weeks past, shows q
general upward tendency The demand
for ocean freight room to move foreign
| purchases has been Such as to tax to the
| utmost transportation facilities from most
of the North Atlantic ports and TO ad-
vance freight rates to a point higher imam
| for at least one year past ana nearly
double those ruling last spring. The ad-
VanceS in coffee, sugar and rice are also
directly traceable to war influences mark
! ing an they do either desire on the part
Infl DIN 81 n nrOtGct themselves
against any possible interruption of sup
plies, or the anticipated levyipg of taxa
ton to meet the increased outlays Of the
government. Careful search among the
quotations for staple products falls to re-
veal any important decline in prices out
side of a fractional marking down of steel
billets at some markets. Among the pro-
ducts which have remained practically
unchanged may be mentioned barrel beef.
| molasses, most grades of pig iron, in
which business has been very large, ana
print cloths.
Previous conditions seem largely to rule
at the various cities. Few unfavorable
features seem as yet to have manifested
themselves in the western and northwest
ern markets, although slightly more con-
sentative buying at some cities IS report
ed. how much of which is due to the
uuieting down of the very active spring
trade experienced and how much owing To
the approach of hostilities il is impossible
to determine. General reportS that the
impending conflict has caused few can
cellations of orders come from the central
west and the upper Mississippi valley.
Discouragement of new enterprises. con
sequent on frmer money or indisposition
of bankers to loan freely pending a defin-
tie outcome of the conflict, is reported to
some extent, however. Unless hostilities
are Of long continuance. though. little eff
feet upon dstributive trade is looked for.
Bank clearings this week We're slightly
larger than those of last week. due en-
tirely to a gain in New York city clear
ings The total for the week aggregates
81, 113 Cox, eco. 2.6 per cent. larger than the
preceding week, 10 per cent. larger than
the corresponding week last year, 10 per
cent. larger than 1896, II per cent. larger
than 1895, 90 per cent larger than 1894
,, but 10 per cent. smaller than this week Of
1893. There We're 224 business failures in
the United States this week against rs
last week, 216 in the week year ago.
30 i'll 1896 and 22S in 1895.