Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-07
FAILURES ON THE DECREASE
september IL Record Month--sh Ink
ngc in Number and Amount
OF Liabilities.

NEW YORK, Oct e.--Bradstreets tomor-
row will say: Statistics Of failures point
to continued trade improvement and to a
still ebbing tide of business mortality.
Failure reports for the first and second
quarters of the year left little to be de-
sired, showing as they did fewer failures
than in any but the mcst favored years and
liabilities the smallest for at least seven
teen years Returns by months showed
failures and liabilities In June only about
one half what they we're in January, indi-
eating that failures were we'll down to the
minimum possible when tho friction in Or
dinary business life was considered.
The present report OF business failures is,
however, even better than any that has
gone before 1t in recent years and the third
quarter of the year 1899 appropriately
enough shows the fewest failures, the small
est liabilities and the smallest proportion
of assets to liabilities of which there Is any
recent record AS indicative of this good
showing being representative of existing
conditions, 1t is to be remarked that failures
and liabilities alike found their minimum
this year in September, and corresponding
totals of previous years show that the month
Just closed comes near to if, not actually
possessing the record of the smallest busi-
ness embarrassments and liabilities.
There were only 2,O26 failures, involving
S15550,965 in liabilities and S6,34O, ,2S6 in
assets in the third quarter Of 1899, a de-
crease OF 16 per cent in number and of As
per cent in liabilities from the same quar-
ter OF last year. which. 1t is hardly neces-
sary to add, was very good one for bus-
ness generally. Compared with the second
quarter of 1899 liabilities are IS per cent
smaller, and compared with the first three
months OF this year liabilities are less than
balf aS ic oil,
universal, though slight increase in num-
ber and liabilities OF failures in the ives,
over those in the second quarter Is notice
able. Against this, however it is to be re.
called that comparisons within a year agt
oare satisfactory, though business condition,
last year In the west and northwest were
highly favorable
Perhaps the mcst satisfactory showing O
all Is that made by the southern states
which, have at least, apparently, begun tt
share in the prosperity earlier noted II
other sections of the country. Confirmation
of reports from time to time OF improyin,
southern trade conditions partly, of course
the result Of better cotton prices, is foun,
In current failure returns.
Growth in population, and. consequently
in the number of traders Is. apparently
mainly responsible for the increased mum
ber Of failures throughout the territories.
The total number of failures for the min
months was only 7,O75 falling off of 2
per cent from last year, of 2S per cent from
1897, and of 81 per cent from 1896, whic
year held the record for the most numerou
nine months failures, exceeding even tn
panic year, 1893 AS regards liabilities
the total for the period under review, $50,
S55,21S-is 35 per cent smaller than it wa
last year, As per cent smaller than in 1897
6l per cent smaller than in 1896, so pc
cent smaller than in 1898, the panic year
Il per cent smaller than in 1892, and. /
fact, is the smallest aggregate OF liabilite
for the period mentioned that there is an
record OF, Assets show even greater shrink
age, being A per cent less than last yea
less than half what they were in 1897 1875
or in 1894; only one-third of those of 1SG
and only one-seventh of what they were
1893. 1t is not strange, therefore, to fin
that the percentage of assets to liabilitie
Is only A per cent this year. against 51 lai
year, 55 in 1897 5S in 1896 and 10 in 1898.