Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1898-01-06
is FULL OF PROMISE.
The Business Outlook Excellent for
- the Year 1888.

- the Year 1S3S.
New 7 ork. Jan. 1.-Iradstreets' says:
Holiday quiet and stock taking close
year which, while not fully realizing the
most sanguine expectations, certainly con-
tanned much that was gratifying and more
that is full of promise for the year 1893.
Following series Of years of alternate
panic, stagnation and slow and even PAIN
full revival, 1887 presented a large volume
Of business done, as a whole, a prices
which, while not altogether satisfactory,
resulted in a total of trade larger than in
any previous year since 1892. Tariff changes
restricted demand but encouraged specu-
lation and heavy imports in the first part
of 1897, while the enlarged foreign demand
for American breadstutfs apd for some
varieties of manufactured articles bettered
the condition of the American farmer, and.
therefore, business men, quite materially.
in the latter part of the year.
price conditions have not favored the
southern producer of cotton; nor the north
ern manufacturer Of cotton goods. The
best reports come from tt. west, north
west and the Pacific coast. Prices at the
close are as a whole on a higher fanse than
at the opening, advances being most nu-
merous in food products, raw silk and
wool, while decreases are reported in raw
cotton and cotton goods, nearly all met
ais, anthracite coal and petroleum. Rail-
road interests share in the revival IF pros
perity, with gross and net earnings larger
than any year since 1885, and the year 1898
opens with the business community, with
full frame of mind.
"A heavy falling off in number and in
liabilities Of individuals, firms or corpora
lions failing was shown in 1897 from 1876
and the four preceding years. A,partial re-
turn to more or less normal conditions is
further indicated by drop in the per-
centage Of assets to liabilities and by &
! reduction in the commercial death rate
n
Guiding 1893 The total number ct failures
reported to BradStreet's for thefyear just
closed was 1869, decrease Of 2,U!v failures
and over Ii per cent. from lS9G;ta falling
off of Is per cent. from the panic year or
1923 and decrease OF more than per cent.
from 1891, year OF prosperous business but
of numerous business ESTABLISHMENTS.
Compared with 1895 there was gain in the
| number of failures shown of a bout half OF
l per cent, while compared with 1892 there
was an increase Of Y per cent. Liabilities
| OF those failing constituted oIte of the
smallest totals Of recent years, amounting
to only $l56, 900, a decrease of 81 per cent.
| from 1896, Of 81 per cent. from 1893 and Of
IS per cent. from 1891. but d gain CT Al per
| cent. over 1892.
Those reliable induces of the business Sit
| uatiOn-bank clearngs-point to the year
1897 witnessing the heaviest business,
both speculative and commercial, done
! since the record year, 1899, just preceding
the panic. The total clearings at So cities
for the year, one week estimated, aggre-
gated at least $685. 100000, a sum larger
by II per cent. than the total OF 1886, year
of silver agitation and an exciting presi-
dental election; s per cent. larger than
1895, the disappointing year, When boom
in iron and kindred products led to false
hopes of business Improvement; Is per cent
| over the year 1894, when the depth of de-
preston following the panic may be said
to have been reached; per cent. over 1898,
the year of widespread disa ster in fina ncat
and commercial circles, and only z'per cen t.
smaller than the total of 1892, when the
| boom following the large foreign. demand
for American breadstuffs and other prod
ucts reached it's height. Practically the en-
tire gain in clearings in 1897 was concen-
trated in the last six months and it is a
significant fact that the heaviest, monthly
total reported for five years past was re-
| ported in the month Of December. Gains
were heaviest in the northwest, the middle
and New England states, and smallest in
the south and northwest, at the latter Of
which the trade improvement was rather
later in arriVinp"