The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-14
TRADE ACTIVITY
is WIDESPREAD
Good Reports Only from Dis
tributive Centres.
YIELD OF CROP SHORT
THE WORLDS WHEAT CROP AID
MITTEDLY SMALLER.
ADVANCE IN COTTON BRINGS UP SOUTH
The War in the Transyaa is a Source of De.
preston to this Crop, However. Man
ufacturing Branch Of Trade
Shows Strength.

StIOWS SucliSuis
New York, October 13.-Bradstreets
tomorrow will say:
Trade activity is widespread, all meas
ures of volume and value testifying to
prevailing prosperous conditions. Only
good reports are received from distribu-
tive trade centers, and some markets
report fall demand as holding out lon
ger than expected. Railroad earnings,
bank clearing's returns and quotations
of staple prices are all encouraging,
pointing as they do to maximum vol
rlme of business for this period of the
year. Crop returns for October bear
out earlier impressions of shortened
yields of most leading agricultural pro-
ducts. Expectation of more moderate
yields of leading cereals, is not confined
to this country. The worlds wheat
crop will admittedly be smaller, the rye,
barley and oats yields are not expected
to be large as a year ago. The higher
range of prices of all staples, and partic-
ularly of agricultural produtcs, how
ever, will furnish a profitable balance
to producers.
The advance in the price of cotton has
been a notable one, and though some
reaction is naturally noted, the effects
upon general Southern trade and indus
try of the great advance are particular
~ beneficial, as this section alone has
appeared to lag somewhat behind the
procession of prosperity.
In the manufacturing brahch of the
trade, strength is well nigh universal
Advances have been numerous and a
scarcity of goods rather than of de-
mand is the main subject of complaint.
While a source of depression to cot
ton, the Transvaal situation has proved
rather favorable to wheat and other
cereals, off-setting heavy increases in
visible supplies.
The liberality of foreign demand is
perhaps best known in the September
report of exports of the leading pro-
ducts. Shipments of breadstuffs were as
large as those of August, and there was
naturally a heavy gain in cotton ex-
ports, which are double those of the
same month year ago. Totals of
leading exports show an increase of
% per cent over September year ago
and over September, 1896, but a de-
crease of SO per cent from September,
1897, which witnessed very heavy ship
ments of breadstuffs.
General manufacturing industry is
running full, and activity is so wide
spread that it is hard to prefer one in
dustry to another in this respect.
Coal production is particularly heavy.
but a scarcity of cars is complained of
in this and in the coke industry, with
the strength of lake freights constituting
scf, elo II,
ply of anthracite in the West.
Iron and steel are active as to pro-
duction, but new business is limited by
the small quantities for nearby deliy-
cry. Liberal orders are still reported for
the first half of next year, and steel
rails are reported tending upward at
the West.
Paper is in specially active demand
at present, news varieties, owing to low
water, being reported practically out of
the market
Sugar refining furnishes one exception
to the reports of general prosperity, and
production is decreasing partly, Of
course, owing to the season, but also
to the decentralization growing out of
price cutting.
Wool is very firm, though quieter in
some markets, while the manufactured
product is selling we'll on next springs
account.
Tobacco is reported very generally ac-
tive at nearly all markets West and
East.
The manufacturers are busy and leath-
er and hides are sympathetically strong
in price.
Lumber is in urgent demand at MANY
markets in spite of the advanced stage
of the season, and prices are firm.
Wheat, including flour, shipments for
the week aggregate 5,265, 634 bushels,
against 5,1S3,39S bushels last week, A.
729,996 bushels in the corresponding
week of 1898; $3.50, 40 bushels in 1897
4,156,S17 bushels in 1896 and 204J, 44G
bushels in 1895. Since July 1st this
season the exports of wheat aggregate
60,965,047 bushels, against 57,22S, lie
bushels last year and 66,920, 1872 bushels
in 1S97-'9S.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
1886, 1913 bushels, against 1928, 749
bushels last week, 2,706.292 bushels in
this week year ago. 2,224,71f
bushels in 1897; 1,711,61O bushels in
1896 and 1,6S0,672 bushels in 1895
b2ihNC July ISL lll1S StdSOu COIH tApHUILs
aggregate GA, 754,159 bushels, against
42,3G6,240 bushels during the same pc
Rod year ago and 45,S42, S1S bushels
in 1S97-'9S.
business failures in the United States
number 164 az compared with 146 last
week, 233 in this week year ago, 19G
in 1897; 219 in 1896 and $50 in 1895.
Business failures in the Dominion OF
Canada number 10 as compared with
"a last week. p in this week a year
ago. A in 1897; 80 in 1896 and 81
in 1895
TOTAL NET RECEIPTS.
New York, October 13.-The follow
ing are the total net receipts of cot
ton at all ports since September list.
1852
Galveston. 407,992; New Orleans, 3os,-