The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-01-19
Rcmarknblc Record.


The statistical bureau OF the treas
ury; department furnishes a wonderful
story OF the commercial achievements
of this county. for the past year. In
some ways It reads like a financial ro-
nance, were 1t not that the exactness
Of figures rob It OF any sentimental In
tiatlon. The computation, marvellous as
ills shows the wonderful recuperatlve
qualities OF the United States. and all
transpiring while foreign war had
to be attended to under very unfavor-
able circumstances on account OF the
unpreparedness OF the government to
wage such a conflict. r. ii,
The history of the foreign commerce
OF 1898 shows that the exports are the
largest ever known, and, In striking con-
tradlstlnction, the imports were the
smallest since 1855. although the con-
sump,ive power OF the country, accord
Ing to its increase In population. was
thlrtY-three per cent. greater than at
that time. The record Is unparalleled
The treasury circular emphasizes what
has been accomplished by citing that
the month OF December made for itself
the highest record of exports ever mad"
by any month In our history. The total
exports Of December were, sl37 ,S47 AS,
and OF the full calendar year sl.954,925.-
l69:ss Only two earlier calendar gears
crossed the billion dollar line. that Of
1897 having been sl,O99. 7O9. O45 and 1896
sl005, 1872 The largest record. OF any
month prior to that pust ended was that
OF November 1898, which was 1929, $780,
OIL, while only sixteen months In our
history ever crossed the one hundred
million dollar line in exports. Three
months. of the calendar year 1891 and
three months OF the calendar year 1896
showed exports In excess OF one hun
dred million dollars, four months In
1897. while six of the twelve months OF
1896 showed exports Of more than one
hundred million dollars each, and the
full year averaged more than one hum
bred million dollars for Its entire twelve
months.
The imports OF the year are as notable
as the exports, but for reverse reasons.
being the smallest since 1856. although
the consuming population is. as above
indicated. tthirty-three per cent. greater
than at that time. They amount to only
s633, 66463i, against I42,623. 500 in 1897.
Thus the year shows an Increase of
more than s150,00000O In experts and a
decrease OF more than $500, 100000 In I'M
ports, giving by far the largest excess
of exports ever known in our commerce
The total excess of exports Of mcr-
chandise is s62l ,26o,533. against 1857 .O9O,-
GA III 1897, which was the highest record
prior to 1895
Another feature Is the importations OF
gold, and that the flow to these shores
has not yet stopped or shows any signs
Of stopping. The total gold impoyta-
tons for the year were l5s.036.252, and
the total gold expectations s16,lo4,954,
making the excess of Imports of gold
for the year sl41.SI1, 996. The largest
gold importation of any preceding year
was that OF, 1896, WHEN 1t amounted to
but slOi. 73l,259. and when the excess OF
imports over exports was only s46,474.-
1850, while only two years In the decade,
1895 and 1898. show any excess Of i'm
ports OF gold. The total imports OF sill
yer, most OF which comes In with lead
ore, were during the year s29,o29,7e4. a
sum; larger than that OF any earlier
years save 1896 and 1897, while the ex-
ports, stated in bullion value Except
coins Of the United States exported)
were s53,797,lo4, a sum larger than that
of any, preceding year except 1895, 1896
and 1897.