The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-23
VOL ME OF TRADE
UNUSUALLY VAST
This Years Holiday Trade a
Record Breaker
D MAND FOR FINE GOODS
y PRICES GENERALLY SHOW EN-
CEPTIONAL STRENGTH
FLOUR, PORK, COFFEE AND LARD HIGHER
Cotton, Copper and Tin Lower. Number Of
Failures This Week Are I'll, One Less
Than Occurred in the Same
Week Last Year.
New York, Dee. Bradstreet's

New York, Dee. -Bradstreets
statement of trade tomorrow will say:
Holiday trade activity of course,
reaches its highest development during
the week now drawing to Il close, and it
Is significant of the prosperous condi-
tons underlying the general business
situation that reports almost without eX
ception point to a volume of business
having few, if any, parallels in previous
years. Another significant feature de-
velOped also is that the demand for
such goods embrace q higher class and
more expensive grade of materials,
conclusion among trade reporters be-
ing that a larger buying capacity exists
now than In any previous year OF the
c0untry's history. This favorable condi-
ton. too, exists in face of the fact that
weather conditions have not altogether
favored rail distribution OF winter
goods. the result being less activity IL
purely retail lines than had been looked
for, though comparisons with one year
ago are generally favorable.
Wholesale trade at this season
usually shows a quoting tendency. but
it is questionable whether this tendency
is as marked this year as in former
periods. To the advanced stage of the
season chiefly. and perhaps also to the
sentimental effect growing out OF strin-
gent money conditions in speculative
lines may be charged some of the quiet
ness noted. AS above intimated how
ever, this is less marked than in ordinary
years.
Just how much influence upon cur
rent bank clearings has been exercised
by money market developments and
what effect anticipations Of interests
payments on January LIST. estimated to
aggregate S100,000,0 600 have had upon
bank clearings lit would be hard to
state accurately.
Prices generally have shown excep-
tonal strength, the great majority of
staple quotations remaining unchanged
as a result of the weeks operations.
As exceptions to this might be in
stancedsflour. PORK, coffee and lead
which are higher, while copper, cotton.
and tin are lower War news and tight
money combined caused slump early
IN the week in cotton, but the close
found prices of the actual staple, spot
cotton, only slightly below the opening.
The interior movement of GOTTEN has
failed to expand, and there are evidences
"a
that foreign buyers covered heavily at
the decline.
Wheat, including -four, shipments for
the week aggregate 2,S13,T14 bushels.
against 3.25S.642 bushels last week. D.
o15.231 bushels in 1896 and 3.457.991
bushels in 1895 Since July 1st this
season. the exports of wheat aggregate
100,3I3,G40 bushels, against 115.:2:S6.-
0S4 bushels last year and 1856, 756
bushels in 1S97'98.
Corn exports for the week aggregate
3.J10,000 bushels, against 4.017.1S5
bushels last week, 4.103,673 bushels in
this week year ago, 4,S19011 bushels
in 1897; 2,46S,160 bushels in 1896 and
l,S39,2S6 bushels in 1885. Since July
lst, this season, corn exports aggregate
10S.416,S8G bushels, against 1890, S94
bushels during the same period Il ycal
ago and 76,260.394 bushels in 1S91-'9S.
Business failures are fewer than or
binary at this season, though excey-
tional money conditions have causee
some few heavy embarrassments. and
the ensuing liabilities will swell the
months totals considerably. The total
number of embarrassments this week is
I'll as compared with 211 last week.
212 in this week a year ago and $50
III 1897. Canadian failures for the week
number % as compared with % las,
week. "a in this week a year ago and
80 in 1897"
COMPARATIVE COTTON STATE
MENT.
New York Dec. Especial. For
the week ending Friday, December -:
Net receipts at all United States ports
during week, 217, 1868; net receipts at all
United States ports during same week
last year, 360.J35; total receipts to this
date, 3,711, 215: total receipts to same
date last year, 5,446,324; exports for the
week, 149.064; exports for same week
last year, 2S6S46; total exports to this
date, 1888, 534; total exports to same
date last year, 3,S06,046 stock at al.
United States ports, 1,119,225; stock al
all United States ports same time last
year, 1.336.904; stock at all interior
towns, S01,3S9; stock at all interior
towns same time last year. 7f4.5S0.
stock at Liverpool, 100000: stock al
Liverpool same time last year. 1256.O00
Stock of American afleat for Great Brit.
ain, 10000; stock of American afloa;
for Great Britain same time last year.
394, 000
TOTAL NET RECEIPTS.
New York, Dec. 22-The following
are the total net receipts of cotton at all
ports since September LIST. 1899:
Galveston. 119S,0GS; New Orleans.
9G0,065; Mobile, 1906: Savannah.
6lS,64J: Charleston 1914; Whining
ton. 204 $50; Norfolk. 21S.354; Balti-
more 51.S42; New York, 80 764; Boston,
3S,oSS; Newport News 1924; Philadel-
phia, u 553; Brunswick. 23,4S6; Pensa-
cola. o2,041; Port Arthur. 1881. Total,
3,711,215 babes.
HESTER'S COTTON STATEMENT
New Orleans, La, Dee. 22.-Secretary
Hesters weekly New Orleans Cotton