The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-02-28
STILL BREAKING THE RECORD.

feel the strain of the Cuban situation last week,
and during the early part there were several
slumps in stocks and bonds in Wall street. but at the
close "a reaction occurred and prices took the up
grade again. chiefly under prospects OF free lmporta-
tons of gold into the United States from Europe
During all this uncertainty in stocks and bonds, how
ever, the regular merchandising OF the country went
on as usual without break Indeed, the movement
of goods was even larger than during the preceding
week, as was shown by the increased bank cearings
which exhibited gain OF 81 per cent over the same
week in 1897, and what is still noteworthy not
citylof any consequence showed loss. To realize
what this means it is necessary to know that
eighty cities and towns report their clearngs weekly
Ofthese eighty cities and towns the three showing
decrease from last year were Hartford 50 per cent
Norfolk, 3.5 per cent, and Bay City Mich, per
cent. Practically every city in the country showed
gain, and the combined clearings amounted to the
enormous sum OF SI,2oI $4,000.
The failures throughout the country last week were
only 1885, against 26o for the preceding week. 258 in
the corresponding week OF 1897, al in 1896, 234 in
1895, and 272 in 1894.
The main feature of general trade at the moment
is the increased number of mills which are starting up
and the decrease in the number of strike. The
business Oh February thus far reported is said be
larger than that OF any February the history OF the
country. From Kansas City, which is the most i'm
portant market for agricultural implements in the
country, the report that the demand for these
goods exceeds all previous records and sales are
limited only by inability to fill all the orders Evil
IDENTIFY the farmers of the United States are buying
tools by the wholesale. From the West and South
come advices OF active and constantly increasing
distribution of merchandise The dry goods trade of
the Atlantic coast has lately been enjoying quite
Ipurt and the jobbing business of New York is re-
ported exceptionally fine Wool seems to have
quoted down again somewhat, but the cotton trade
holds its and rather more. The silk manufacture
is reported unusually active AS for iron this branch
Of trade continues lively that the different mills OF
the country are put to their trumps to FIJI their
orders.
=. In California the outlook has been immeasurably
frightened by the rains which have been sufi-
ciently copous to almost insure the different crops
except in two three sections, and from these
no grave reports are heard The tendency in the
leading staples is generally upward as shown by the
advance in provisions, beef, mutton pork beans and
anumber Of minor articles, while the cereal markets
have weakened but little under the influence of the
rains At present writing the prospects for the
farmer are brilliant He sees before him reasonable
certainty OF good crops, and an equally reasonable
outlook OF good prices for them Indeed the only
drawback to the general prosperity is the continued
,tagnation in dried fruits and rasns the latter hav-
Ing made another decline under an almost complete
absence OF orders. At the same time there is slow
export demand for dried fruits, which, according to
those best posted in the trade, if kept up will reduce
stocks to almost nothing by the time the new output
appears on the market. From this showing dried
fruit operators look for good prices this year
last The wine industry is still in unsatisfactory
condition owing to the want Of harmony between the
different associations, but the wine makers of the
State express their conviction that the trade will right
itself before long This conviction is REINFORCED by
the fact that shipments of wine from the State to the
East, which for year have shown signs OF
langushng, again exhibiting an increase