The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-30

NEW YORK, Dec. 2s.-Bradstreets re-
view Of 1.-THE Year in Business" tomor-
row will say:
Rarely have sanguine commercial and
financial hopes or predictions found such
adequate realization as they did during
1899. Certainly nothing like the wide
spread and general upward movement Of
values. alike Of staples and Of securities,
such as occurred during this year, could
have been foreseen. Linked with an Inn
fnense business and a record-breaking pro-
duction in nearly all lines Of business and
industry. except. perhaps. in some
products Of the agricultural interest. there
was with It an advance Of staple values,
either Of which alone would .ave made the
year notable and combined to have served
to establish the year as a record-brealer
and set up new standards.
Enormous Volume Of Trade.
The volume Of domestic and Of foreign
trade alike was the largest ever recorded,
and the bank clearings, rejecting immense
business expansion. active speculation in
stocks and immense new industrial float
ings, far surpassed all previous records.
Prices. as a result primarily Of the stimu-
lation proceeding from supply and de-
mand conditions. scored probably the
greatest advance in any single year and
brought the general level OF staple values
to the highest point reached for more than
eight years past. Failure statistics point
to the smallest number reported for sew
enteen years past These results have
come to pass in the face Of consider
ably lessened production of wheat and an
immense falling off in the yield Of cotton.
Expansion In Industrial AMairs.
In industrial affairs the year has been
one Of enormous expansion. Certainly
nothing like the general advance in wages
of industrial employees has been witnessed
for many years, and this has been ac-
complished with a minimum Of friction
The close Of the year finds order books
filled from three to SIX months ahead
In nearly all lines. Distributive trade was
naturally of immense volume throughout
the year. though mild weather at the
close tended to modify the satisfaction
with which the trade in winter fabrics
was regarded. This was, however, partly
compensated for by a holiday business
SURPRISING all previous records. Notwith-
standing smaller exports OF agri-
cultural products during the calen-
udE year, prSduStuuS shipments De-
ing Is per cent smaller. cattle
and hog exports IL per cent. less and
cotton shipments, owing to the short
crop. at least Is per cent. less. there was
such an expansion in our manufactured
exports that the entire export trade of
the year will considerably exceed that of
the last calendar year. which was the
heaviest recorded. and will make the year
no less notable in the line Of foreign
than In domestic trade, with a total of ex-
ports little less than $1.2so, 1000. an ag-
gregate which, II reached, will mark a
gain of per cent. over the record total
of 1898.
Imports Also Increase.
Imports have naturally shown marked
revival, and If the gain for the eleven
months is maintained for the month of
December a total a little below $500. 200, 900
may be expected, which would guarantee
total foreign trade well in excess of
s2O00.0 100000. an amount, It might be re-
marked, never before equaled. As to ex-