Evening journal., 1898-12-29
nIsINEss Is ANTlrATEn.

BUSINESS Is ANIMATED.
II Bradstreet's and Dun are to be
believed tile business Of the country is
steadily improving.
II. G. Dun & Co. say in their weekly
review OF u0de:
~It Is year beyond paral-
Eel. and goes 10 its clcsc with the
biggeSt v0.ume Cf business ever seen.
last YEAR The exports were in volume
greater than in any previous month
in the history OF the country, but this
year tle three weeks report show an
tncreaae or % per cent against 8 pen
cent IN imports, which would indicate
mueh more than S70,000,000 excess OF
exports this month. The payments
Through clearing houses have been for
ahe week 265 per cent. greater than
hast year. and 124 per cent. greater
than in 1892. and for the month, l7S
per cent larger than i'm 1892 Until
NOW NO greater volume OF business
has ever been done in the history OF
fhls country than in the closing month
of this year. Weekly reports show
railway earnings 4.3 per cent. larger
Hhan in November, and 2.7 per cent
IN DecemDer thus far than last year.
and l2 per cent larger In N0vem
her and 4 per cent in December than
9n 1892 with only part on the roads re-
porting it also appears that the east
bound shipments from Chicago have
been S27T07 tons for three weeks,
against 200.S94 last year, and 203 ,0S4
In 1892. The Uuilding OF new roads Is
reported by the Railway Gazette al
2S57 miles,more than in any other year
sinee 1892 though it's reports obvious
lY do non include part OF December.
Bui the car famine crowds both rail-
Irads and works to the utmost. The
story Of iron Is like a dream With
25O00 tons BeEsemer pig sold at Pitts.
Burg for $1,000 and gray forge at S940.
and Chicago sales limited only by
the clNacisy Of the works. and eastern
sales 50 numerous and so large as 20
raise the price 25 cents. there is q de-
mand nor finished products, which in
cludes Gt phNadelphia 1000 tons on
Diales for EXPORT to S0uth America
1900 TONS az Chicago, where works are
crowded: $4,000 tons steel rails by the
Mary'and steel Company for AsiatiC
Russia. $4,000 Tor Australia. against
Bitlsh bids az Pittshurg. and abcui
10000 tons domestic AZ the East, 6.60c
toms s.ml ural work at Chicago and
pAtsturg and 5000 tons for car bui,d-
eis at Cheago. an The works there be.
ing crowded with heavy buying OF
sheets and wire rods. and sharp COM
petition at The South in cotton ties, a
pending contact for 10000 tons Gael
pipe for Yokohama, and sales OF
smaller Quantities in each class too
numerous to mention. The range Oh
prices IS nearly 20 per cent. lower than
IN 1892, Indicating an astonishing in
crease IN the quantlty Of product ex-
changed"
Bladstreets has this to say Of the
business ituauon:
Current business conditions furnish
sharp ccntfasts to those usually looked
Tor or reported at this season. Of tine
year. it IS. of course, reasonable tc
hook for exceptional activity in holi.
day and reiail trade generally at this
date. and n this respect the mos.
sangune expectations appear to hav,
been realized. Probably never before
at this date. however, was the cours,
Of general business so animated as &
no longer confined TO the Stock mar
kei bait has wiiened 10 include whea
and corn among the cereals and cop
per among the metals, while the rusl
of business IN irOn and steel seem
'-tte t any, abated. and some lines
notably clltcn goods and raw wool
are ds3ayng an activity and strcnefl
Nnicn would have been welcomed q
anA um> Tor year past. Prices o
settil.ts aAd OF staples alike furnisl
examples ci aggressive strength, whicl
gre 50 numerous as TO deserve specia
mention. Bank c.earings ia the Unite
ota1ei Tor the week aggregate $l.673
Vo0.OVo. a decrease OF less than 1 pc
tent Nom LAST week, and o gain OF 2
per cns. over this week year agl
al IS per cent. over 1896 OF As pe
cent over 1898. very nearly twice q
Yafse as 10 1894 and 1893 and 10 De
cent. larger than this week of 1S9.
wnica up 10 this year was the heaviee
week en- record Bgsinees failure
Tor the week number PIP. as agains
@33 iasr week, ESQ in this week a yea
ago. 5Zl in 1896 and 316 i'm 1S9
Wheat. Including -four shipments Ia
the week aeglegate 5.515.23l bushel
~eainaf O.Zf3o59 bushes last week. rs
sd 70 Include Portland. Ne. 4.757
BOO BUSHES in the corresponding wee
q 1897. 2lll7o2 bushels ip 1896. 9
3oissl bushels in 1895 and 1.S14.O,
bushes ia 1894. Since Iuiy / tn
gtar tha exports CT wheat aggrega.
il5.-4i.oS4 bushels, against 1913 566 "a
uusnt.s lest year. Corn exports Z.
fne week aegregate 4.1O3. .673 bushel
snel a-3l 936 bushels last wee
7'oi9Nli hreheis r. shis week We.
aso ltSlG0 bushels in 1896. /. .Ss9 q
ppfaeh 20 1895 and 6i9.S77 bushels
1899 sinse Iulv 'his year corn e,
pofs sEerseaie 77229S94 bushe-
against '62eo45l during the san
period q year ago.
Co,crf' Henry a. Dupont will new
be uniifd states senator from Del
ware. Aidcks is for Addicks AZ
Bach is f0r Wins