The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-31
A GREAT YEARS BUSINESS.
REPORTS SHOW An UNPRECEDENT-
ED VOLUME OF TRADE.

| Doubie the mpOrtS-SUstnined Ac-
iVity in Industrial Lines-smaIIer
Percentage of FaiIures-CereaIs
show n Great Increase, and the
Iron Demand Good.
| New York, Dec. 30-Bradstreet's to-mor-
row will say:
| Holiday quiet in general demand, srs-
| tanned activity in industrial lines, partic-
ularly iron and steel. exceptionally large
shipments of goods on orders, liberal &C.
real exports and specially heavy dealings
| in speculative markets, are features call
ing for notable mention in the closing
week of the year.
Firmness in price is likewise an encour-
| aging feature in most staples. Wheat,
though showing reaction is higher en-
the week on large export clearances, and
other cereals are in sympathy. The big
iron demand grows, the prices for this pro-
duct and for steel rails, steel billets, plales
and wire rods are all higher on the week.
while the volume of foreign demand for
our finished products apparently Increases
as the year draws to it's conclusion.
Concisely stated, the reports received as
to the years business in all sections of the
country point TO an unprecedented volume
of domestic and export trade. which is re-
| fected in bank clearings that break the
high record of 1892, the general level of
prices of staples and securities at The close
of the year. and the highest point reach
! ed for five years past Railroad earnings
exceed all previous years and finally there
was a smaller number of failures and
lower liabilities than reported in any year
for at least five years past.
In Spite of the War.
These general results in the country at
large have been achieved, too, notwith-
standing the outbreak and conclusion of
foreign war, and in spite also of unfavor-
able conditions in some industries, nota-
bly textile manufacturing, which combin-
ed with unfavorable weather early in
the wear and the lowest price for cotton
on record exercised an unfavorable infln-
ence. But the close of the year finds an
imDrovement even in those directions, and
returns as to retail trade, and particularly
holiday business, are strikngly good in all
sections.
Best reports as 10 distributive trade nat
urally come from the grain-growing sec
tons of the country, which were the first
to feel an Improvement resulting from free
foreign demand for our cereals; but indi-
cations are not wanting that this improve
ment is gradually percolating throughout
the entire business community, and coup
led with unprecedented export trade in
manufactured goods and the fact that we
are selling 81 worth abroad for every dol
lars worth we buy, renders possible the
4 frflA
1887 ranging from 10 to 40 per cent, with
likewise good reports from the manufac-
turing ceuters, excepting the textile in
dustries already mentioned
Exports Doubled Imports.
The export trade of the country for the
year as above intimated, is the heaviest
ever known, and viii probably exceed ST.
$50 Coo 600 in value. thus being nearly dou-
BILE the Imports Our export trade in man
ufactured goods, it might be observed, is
the heaviest ever known, and for the first
time i'm our country's history exceeded the
value of imports of similar goods.
There were II ,63S failures in the United
States in 1898, involving liabilities of S1n,-
1871, III, a decrease from 1897 in number of
112 per cent. and in liabilities of 95 per
cent compared with 1896, and 1895 the pro-
portion of decrease shown is even larger
and compared with 1893 failures We're fewer
by 25 per cent, and liabilities smaller by
by "a per cent. Decreases are also shown
when compared with 1891, year of large
trade though of numerous and costly fail
ures; bur compared with 1892 there. is an
increase shown of 13 per cent. in number,
and 80 per cent. in liabilities.
Failures Tend to the Normal.
The tendency of failures toward the nor
mai is illustrated by the fact that the
/ nf &c
smallest reported since 1892, and the an
nCal death rate-that is the percentage
of traders failing to those in business
is likewise the smallest reported since the
latter year, being only LOS per cent.
against 1.2O in 1897, $50 in 1893 and 1 in
1892
Unsatisfactory conditions in textile lines
and some large failures of banks and
other financial concerns. account for the
| expansion in liabilities shown in those sec
! lions, while a larger number OF small
failures in Pennsylvania and some of the
Eastern states reflect poor trade early in
the year. and dulness growing out of the
war and bad weather
Cereal experts 1ttngly close the year
with an exceptionally large week
ly total Wheat, including flour.
SHIPMENTS for the week aegre.
gate 6.2S2,625 bushels against 5,5i5,231
last week 5,S95O61 bushels In the CORE
spending week of 1897. 2,7o7, 1893 bushels in
1895. 3,142.57S bushels in 1925, and 1886 4O5
bushels in 1894. Since July /, this year.
the reports of wheat aggregate 121, SOS 700
bushels, against 12S 1851, 7OS bushels last
year.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
Se59.745 bushels against 4.1O3.673 bushels
last week, 4.OS6 s66 bushels in this week a
year ago, 27i2 1874 bushels in 1896 S72 AL
bushels in 1895. and 1857, 800 bushels in 1884,
Since July this year corn exports aggre-
gate SO.9i9. 639 bushels, against SO34732O
bushels during the same period year ago.
banquet To Judge Swenf.
! Wrovcrogs Ga Dec. 0-(SDccfaD Tho