The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-10-25
BRADSTREET'S
WEEKLY REVIEW
Active Foreign Demand for
Our Cereals the Feature
Of TRADE SITUATION
RISE IN OCEAN FREIGHT RATES
DETERS SHIPPERS.
SITUATION IN TIE SOUTH IMPROVED
Owing 10 Frost's Stopping Growth of Cotton
and to the Ab-ogation Of Quarantine
Restrictions. Cur lmpNt
Irade !ncreasing.
Trade Increasing.

New York. Oct. 21.-Bradstreets to
morrow Will say:
The dominant feature of the general
active foreign demand for wheat, wheIt
-four and, indeed, nearly all our cereal
products, and the business reported on
this account during the past ten days
seems worthy of rank with the best r.
corded III any corresponding period.
While straitened stocks abroad and less
satisfactory advices from other coun-
tries. notably Russia. Australia and Ar
g~entine. have furnished a plausible basis
for much of the recent activity, IN addi-
tional stimulating feature was injected
into the situation this week by the more
war-like appearance Of the Franco-Brit-
iSh situation and the closing days. in
deed. witnessed war rumors in practical
Ommand of the market. including much
short covering by Steadfast bears. Lest
the rather moderate figures of current
exports be disappointing. III view of the
heavy engagements reported. it might
be remarked that much of this demand
is necessarily what might be termed
forward business, and, indeed, stocks
in this country, i'll spite of heavy current
deliveries by farmers could hardly allow
Of prompt shipment, even II the ocean
freight situation was not a strained one.
Quotations for freight room have, III fact,
operated as a deterrent feature on this
export business. General distributiye
trade, particularly at the North. appears
to have suffered from bad weather con
ditionS this week. which lay interfered
with regular business and deliveries: but.
on the other hand, have induced consider
able buying of boots and shoes. rubber
goods and heavy clothing at many mar
kets. The situation at the South IS
rather more favorable thar for some
time past. this resulting mainly from
the ~abrOgatiOn Of man. senseleSS quar-
antine regulations, as a result of the
advance Of the frost line southwark to-
ward the Gulf. Some important changes
III the situation of textile goods and par
ticularly cotton and wool products. APP
pear to be impending. Rather more
firmness has been impaired to the former
staple by the talk of frost checking fur
thcr growth of the plant in the South.
and the establishment at Fall River Of
the long expected and ofton-threatenei
Joint selling agency for print cloths and
similar goods has stiffened the price Of
those products quite materially. In wool
and wooden goods. too, signs of improve
mont are a trifle more numerous.
The foreign trade situation is about
as described last week. except that large
decreases in a few leading exports have
been partly made up by increased ship
mcnt>. of American manufactures and
the ninc months 11gures point to 4 COM
plete calendar years business in advance
of all predecessors in volume of export
trade. Our import trade begins to show
slight increases over corresponding pc
RODS n year ago. and tho substitution
of dutiable for non-dutiable goods i'll
this movement points 10 y" easier posi-
ton in the customs situation. Prices
are quite strong. notable in this respect
being all the cereals. lard. pork. cotton,
print cloths and raw sugar. Little
change is noted in the iron and steel
market. which as for some time past.
continues quiet as regards new business.
tho the mills and founderies are still
employed. The general indus
trial situation continues favorable. en-
ploymcnt being quite general. n%articu-
larry in the West. except in the glass in
dustry. whore Il shutdown pending
4 wage scale exists.
Wheat. including flour, shipments for
the week aggregate 4.5S2,77 bushels.
against 4.729.995 bushels last week.
~5.552.171 bushels in the corresponding.
week Of 1897: 4.O67.271 bushels in 1896. !
2,61S.J54 bushels in 1895 and 3.353,1 -
bueho'~ in 1894. Since July 1st. this
year, the exports of wheat aggregate 81
210.SS9 bushels, against ~72,4T2.203
bushels last year.
o." exports for the week aggregate
2.391.191 bushels. against 2.1Oj,292
bushels last week: f~,1I1.943 bushels III
this wees Il year ago; 2.919.GS4 bushels
in 1876: ~1.343,51O bushels in 1898 and
92.0S7 bushels in 1894. Since July 1st.
this year. corn exports aggregate H.
$40. 1874 bushels against 4I.020.3j1 bush
els during the same period a year ago.
Business failures in the United States
this week number 213. twenty less than
last week and compared with O in this
week 4 year ago, 212 in 1896, 80 ii
1895 and 221 in 1894.
Business failures in the Dominion Of
Canada number 2f as against % last
week. % in this week q year ago. IS
in 1896 and So in 1895 and 1894.