The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-30

March. while outside of the metropolis
the heaviest totals were shown as late
as October.
The furry in money late in Decem-
Der swelled the weekly bank clearings
to an unprecedented sum, making pos
sible an exceptionally heavy December
aggregates. Decreases from 1898 at in
divdual cities were few and due mainly
to changes in methods unconnected
with the generally large business done.
AS compared with 1894, every city in
the country naturally reports larger
clearings, but it is worth noting that
13 cities in all show decreases from the
year 1892. which still remains at those
cities year of unqualed trade.
The railroads of the country have
done the heaviest business in their his
tory, which is proved by the gains in
gross and net receipts over all previous
records. That the transportation in
tereSts are determined to share still
further in the unexampled column of
tonnage offering, is proved by the gen.
eral advance in rates scheduled for Jan.
/, 1900. Railroad building, though
mostly of branches and feeders, was
the heaviest reported since 1890, was
double the average of the preceding
four years and so per cent. larger than
in 1893.
The record of embarrassments has
been of a steadily diminishing scale as
regards number and even in liabilities
the years record is an exceptional one,
and, were it not for a few large fall
ures in the last two months of the
year, that period, as a whole, would
have been fairly entitled to the appel
lation of phenomenal. Though the
years record is not as yet complete,
and the returns as to assets and liza
bilities are still more or less vague.
it may be stated that the total num-
Der of failures, based upon complete
returns for II months and partial re-
turns for December, will be in the
neighborhood Of $3.50. certainly little in
excess of that number a total smaller
than in the preceding year by II per
cent, 26 per cent. fewer than in 1897
SO per cent lower than in 1896 25 per
cent smaller than in 1895 or 1894 and
40 per cent. less than in 1898, the year
of panic memory. AS compared with
1892, there is even shown decrease
of per cent. and the number of fail-
ing traders. firms or corporations is III
fact the lightest since 1882, II years
ago.
AS regards liabilities. while the show
ing is not so good as expected. there is
a reasonable hope of the aggregate not
being much in excess of O,0OO,0 900,
which would be Is per cent. less than
in 1898, % per cent. smaller than in
1897, 81 per cent. less than in 1896 70
per cent smaller than in the panic
year, 1898. and only II per cent. more
than in 1892, year of exceptionally
good trade.
The return Of normal conditions is
indicated by the percentage of assets.
which may aggregate $62 000, 900. The
percentage of those failing in business,
too, will show a marked shrinkage and
will be among the lowest ever reported,
the probabilities favoring a percentages
of .000S5 this year against 0ol6 per cent
last year,..0120 in 1897, .O170 in 1898 and
0100 per cent. in 1892. the smallest per-
centage in fact since 1882.
That the improvement in business
has made itself felt at last in all parts
of the country is indicated by the
Southern and Pacific states groups
showing the largest decreasein failures
from year ago, fully one-third in each
case. The business community looks
forward to 1900 with at least equally
mixed feelings of hope and confidence.