The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-10
OPINION OF BRADsTREET.
Attitude Of Confidence In Future
Good Trade Noted.

New York, Sept. 9.-Bradstreets will
tomorrow say:
Heat and holidays have impaired an ir-
regular appearance to speculative and
general distribution trade this week, anu
therefore to the bank clearings returns,
more particularly at the east but with
the arrival OF cooler temperature some
Improvement is reported at those mar
kets. Generally speaking favorable basic
features already noted still continue most
in evidence, and the attitude of quiet con-
ndence in future good trade is undated.
Conditions in many leading industries,
but particularly in iron and steel and its
various products. are of continued and in
some cases growing strength. The gen.
eral level of prices of staples is the high
est reached for five years past, railway
earnings favored by the large movement
of wheat to market, are showing larger
gains than have been recently reported
a good export demand being for agricul-
tural and manufactured products is re-
ported. failures remain at a minimum
and reports of poor trade are conspicuous
by their infrequency.
Less favorable crop reports from abroad
and good export inquiry are reflected in
rather steadier tone in wheat and in
advanced quotations for ocean freights.
Corn continues TO experience a weather
market but prospects Of, yield are still
regarded as favorable. "a Following the
intense activity in the placing of orders
for iron and steel in the past few weeks
has come a quieting in the demand. but
the experience of buyers and the very
firm, and in some cases the upward
tendency of prices point TO the conclusion
that the luli is due almost entirely to
the mills being already heavily oversold
Export business has certainly been
checked by. the inability of American
mills to deliver within time limits set,
but orders have been placed at the west
this week for a large lot of steel bars for
shipment to England.
Pig iron remains strong in tone, and the
firmness of prices is a feature. Southern
iron is in particularly good demand for
export and holders readily refuse offers
where any thing less than the full mar
Talk of a further % cent advance comes
lrom Birmingham.
Unabated activity is reported at Chi
cago and dry goods shipments cannot be
made fast enough. Small but numerous
advances in prices of different classes of
steel are reported from that city and st.
buying from two to three months ahead
of time. Business is active at Kansas
City, Omaha, Cleveland Louisville and
throughout the entire northwest. On the
Pacific coast San Francisco reports mer-
chants interested in developing trade with
Hawaii. Healthy activity exists in dis
tribution at Portland, Tacoma and
Some check to trade is reported in the
lower Mississippi valley, caused by re-
ports of yellow fever and heavy rains on
and holidays checked the business in dry
goods at New York, but cooler weather
has brought an improved spot demand.
Wool sales have again fallen off at Bos-
ton. Cotton goods are quiet, but steady,
and the demand for mems wear woollens
is not up to expectations.
Business failures in the United States
number 142, against 164 last week; 173 in
this week year ago, 3oS in 1896; 213 in
1895. and 223 in 1894.
Business failures in Canada number H.
against % last week, and 81 in this week
year ago.
New York. Sept. 9.-The following table,
compiled by Bradstreet. shows the
bank clearings at SO cities for the week
ended Sept. s. with the percentage of in
crease and decrease, as compared with
the corresponding week last year: