Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-02-03
THE BUSINESS SITUATION,

uuNWtlsu tuuhb VI an bVluh'bc Shaih'hV''
Stormy weather. throughout a large
section OF the country this week has
checked the movement OF merchandise
into consumption, but perceptihle
increase in the demand for seaeouable
goods is reported 81 already resulting.
The last week of the month closas with
increased activity in many lines, n
number OF price advances. heavily in
creased bank clearings, as rompafed
with one yenr ago, at nearly all cities,
another considerable drop In tina num-
her of failures reported, largo exports
of cereals. particularly wheat, corn and
-four, and percGptihle confidence in
nearly All branches of trade as regards
the outlook for spring business. An
other favorable feature OF the week ia
the slight but distinct Improvement in
the cotton goods situation, in which
speculative activity is awakening. l'rint
cloths are higher, and aome makes Of
gray and medium weight rottonH are
more firmly held. Pig iron is rejecting
the effect Of the present unpreceuente ted
prod uction, and further weakening In
prices 10 recorded at Eastern points. At
the West, however, consumption Of pig
and of the finished products of iron and
steel is reported increasing so US 10
hold prices firm, Large saleB OF hRr
steal and of rails are reported at Chi
cagn and st. Louis, with mills refusing
to take orders Tor delivery earlier than
late summer. Boots and shoes hold the
late advance, aud manufacturers Of
heavy weights will not take orders for
fall delivery at nresent prices. Wool ia
n m uuIa HrKa inn
abroad. Prices of most staple products
are higher ON the week; noticeable
instances arc thoRe of wheat, which ia
pact the dollar mark ngain at many
Western markets; corn, oats and -four.
Print cloths, some other makes OF cottons
and some classes of hog products are
also higher. Bank clearings. while
smaller than last week, Hggreg6ting
only 81, 2S3, 600, 600, against 81, All, 600, :
900 last week, drop of per cent. are
"a per cent larger than last year, "A per
cent larger than 1896 and 81 per cent
larger than 1894. A total is indicated
for the munth of January of not far
from s.. 300, 900. 600. which lie only
slightly below December's immense
total, and has only been exceeded three
times in the history OF the country.
Tho unanimity Of gains in weekly
clearings, as compared with yeur ago.
III special feature, unly two cities out
of seventy nine reporting decreases, and
totals at most large cities being one.
fourth larger than last year. Business
failures for the week are the smallest
reported in the fourth week of January
for five years past, numbering only 2SS,
against 300 last week, 326 in the cor
responding week of last year, 1893 in
1896, 3l2 in 1895 and $40 in 1894. or
the failures reported Pol, or 50 per
cent, were OF concerns having s., 600
capital or less, and % per cont 10 all
were OF concerns having less than $40, :
600 capital. Cereal exports are again
heavy, total shipments of wheat, in.
GLIDING flour, for tho week amounting
to D, ITO, ga bushels, against 3, 926, 600
bushels last week, 2,5l5, 900 in this
week year ago, 2, 800, 600 bushels in
1896 and 2,0S3, 900 bushels in 1891.
Corn exports have also heavily increased
from asst week, amounting to 4. a62, 900
bushels, against 3, 4s6, 600 bushels last
week, 3, OF 600 bushels last year, 3, 1877, =
QUO bushels in 1896 and 9i2, QUO bushels
in 1885"
X. G. Dun g. 20. % Review says: "The
tirst month of the new year has brought
rather more increase in business but
less improvement in prices than was
expected. With payments through clear.
ing houses Z. per cent larger than in
1882, and probably the largest ever
known in any month, with railroad
earnings ILL., per cent larger than tbe
best of past years, the fact that prices
ohny
the increase in quantities OF products
SOLD Nor ia there any disposition to
rretuse orders, even at present prices
indeed, the competition of manufaut
urers seeking orders alone prevents a
rise. Most OF them have all they can
manage, many working night anu day,
anu one great steel concern running on
SUNDAY, but the works not vet filled
with orders are seeking contracts al as
low prices rs hsvs ever been minds, in
creating that even these are not en-.
tirely Improbable. The settlement of
wages on 10 per cent advance Aprjl
LIST for 700, 600 coal miners of tho cen.
trial region, with other changes, will
tend toward larger demand for pro.
ducts OF all kinds, though also toward
some increase in cost OF manufacture.
Political apnrehsnsions have been
allayed rather than increased by The
presence of the Maine at Havana and
by the course of domestic events. Wheat
has been conspicuous, rising ) cents
for the week. with 5ls cents 70, Nav
options. CottUn has risen a sixteenth.
Notwithstanding the strikes In Eastern
mills and the official report of a de-
crease OF TO- ner cent in British ex
ports OF cotton goUds last year. Re.
ceipts still run go far beyond tboa,
following the largest crop on rerord
that ESTIMATE once deemed extrayaoant
are commonly accepted. This cotton
manufacture is ir more difficulty than
any other, not merely because prices do
cot much improve. nor as yet the demand
for goods, though both are helped by Ihe
closing OF many mills, but largely ha.
cause the manufacturers and workers
have considered too little the ronidlv
growing production at the South. III
late, also, the export demand for gnods
has been restricted, though much Iens
than the demand for Britain gnoda
The wooden manufacture is doing wall
fine worsted goous having opened at mn
advanced of 20 per cent over Inst yoar
and tho large mills are constantly lnv.
ing wool. even at current high prices.
which implies great confidence in the
future, presumably based on larger
order than ara publicly reported. such
purchases of wool have been freouent
of late, even by mills supposed 10 ia
supplied far ahsad, and one Providence
mill appears to have taken $50, O00
pounda worsted wool at Wheeling this
wees. Sales at three Chief markets.
have been 5000. loo pounds. and for
fnur weeks, 30. i2l, 070, of which 2I..
367, 720 WefH domestic aoaibnt oe 49,