The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-01-02
Review Of 1899 Shows Racord-Breaker.
Bradstreers review of last year

Bradstreers review of last year
ssys:
Rarely have sspguine commercial
aud financial hopes or predictions
found such realization as during
1899 Nothing like the widespread
and general upward movement OF
values, alike of staples and of
securities, could have been foreseen.
Linked with an immense business
and q record breaking production in
nearly sll liues here was an advance
of staple values, either OF which
alone would have made the year
notable, and combined they have
served to establish the year IS 8
record. breaker AID set up new stand
ards.
The volume Of domestic and OF
foreign trade alike was the largest
ever recorded, and the bank clear
i-gs, rejecting immense business
expansion, active speculation IN
stocks and immense new industrial
hoatings, far surpassed all prevlous
records. Prices scored probably the
greatest advance ever recorded IN
sny slugle year, and brought the
general level of staple values to the
highest point reached for more than
eight years past.
Failure statistics points 20 the
smallest rumber reported tor IL
years pest. These results have come
into the face Of lessered rroduc'
lion OF wheat and an Immense fall
ing eff IN the yield of cotton.
la industrial sif airs the year has
been one of enormous expansion
Nothing like the general advance IN
wages of industrial employees has
been witnessed for many years and
this has been accomplished with a
minimum of friction. The close OF
the year fuds Manufacturers order
books filed for three to six months
ahead in nearly all lines. Dlstrlbu-
tive trade was OF immense volume
throughout the year. The holiday
business surpassed all previous re-
cords.
Notwithstanding smaller exports
of agricultural products during the
calendar year, breadstuffs shipment:
being Is per cent. smaller, cattle and
hogs export ~ per cert less and cot
ton shipments, owing to the shor'
crop, at least l5 per cent less, there
was such an expansion in our manu-
featured exports that the entire ex
port trade OF the year will consider
ably exceed that of last calender
year, which was the heaviest ever
recorded.
The total exports were little less
than 81, $50. 900 in value, an sggre
gate which. if rec sched, will mark 9
gain of 3 per cent. over the record
total Of 1898
Imports have naturally showed
marked revival, and if the gain fol
the II mouths is maintained for De
Gem Der total little below $500 900,
600 msy be expected, which woulC
guarantee a total foreign trade wei
in excess OF So 900, 900, COO, al
amount, it might be remarked, never
before equsled
Breadstuffs alone, of all the classes
of staples, are lower now than they
we're a year ago, the decline being
about 6 per cent. On the other hand
the manufactured or partly manu-
factured products, such ss metals
raw and manufactured textiles, build
ing materials, coal and naval stores
have scored remarkable gains. Met
ais, as whole, are 80 per cent. highe
tlan year ago, due largely, {
course, to the upward rush OF iror
and steel prices. which have all prac
tically doubled in value within th'
year. :,
Raw cotton and wool have mad,
especially noteworthy advance, su6
from being among the most depress
ed of industries, the textile manu-
featuring lrades have become among
the busiest there is record OF. OEhe
textiles have shared in this advance
ard the result is that textiles as
class are one third higher than a yea
ago.
Taking bank clearings as an index
the outlook at present favors tots
at The country's clearing houses
making comparison with previou
wears, Of fully $1,000, 900, 900, al
increase of SO per cent over yea
ago, Of "a per cent. over 1897 and o
81 per cent. over 1892, while, as COM
pared with 1894, the volume Of clear
ing has practically doubled.
The railroads nave done the hesv
lest business in their history, as i
proved by the gains noted alike il
gross and net receipts over all pre-
viousreeords. This, too, has sppar