The San Francisco call., 1901-12-02
CONTINUED TRADE ACTIVITY.

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last week The country's bank clearances
~ exhibited slight gain OF o. per cent over
the corresponding week last year. the gain at Nesv
York falling to an increase OF only IA per cent while
Boston. Baltimore ard New Orleans showed small
losses The largest gain of the important cities
was AL per cent at San Francisco. The failures for
the week were Io8 against I84 last year, and were
generally small and unimportant
Wall street was quiet during the week. and the only
Incident was sharp break in copper stock (due to
the reported cutting of prices for copper to the low
est point since the floating of the Amalgamaed Cop
per combine. Otherwise the street featureless.
The recent exports of gold to Europe, as previously
mentioned have md no effect on the market, as the
stock of monetary gold in the country November
was about SIIzo,coo, ,ooo which is being continually
augmented by Pacific Coast receipts from Alaska and
Australia and the regular home production, So as
one New York banker puts it, "the exit of few
millions Europe need concern, especially
as il will afford relief in Europe where most needed
The same authority says of the current occasional
shrinkaees in Wall street: Had prices been allowed
to react natural basis in response to the
United States Steel strike the crop disaster and
the assassination of President Mckinley we sho;ld
have now an excellent situation for legitimate activity
and advancing prices but the powerful and persistent
manner in which the market sustained against
those adverse factors made outside buyers hesitate
The merchandise business of the country proceed
ing smoothly apparently regardless of what is going
on in Wall street. Scarcity of rolling stock the
great railroads is still hampering the output and
keting of many manufactured products, and some
iron mills have been obliged to close down, be-
of lack of business, but wholly owing to their
inability 10 obtain engines and cars to deliver their
output Yet the different works turning out cars
ans engines fast they This condition while
working hardships in some individual cases, speaks
well for the activity in trade throughout the country
AS far as the call for goods is concerned it seems
as If the country never would get iron and steel
enough satisfy the demand which is breaking all
records in spite of the increased production and the
recent advance in prices The textile trades
ported in better condition, there having been large
sales OF cotton goods for China, which have materi-
ally increased the export valuations of this product
for the year The wooden mills are also actively en-
poyed and the retailers and jobbers report brisk
call for heavyweight goods The boot and shoe trade
continues to send good reports, most of the New
England mills being in operation with an active de-
mand for their output Wheat has not changed much
during the past week the price having been sustained
by the strength in the minor grains which scarce
throughout the West and Southwest, and by the re-
appearance OF the French as buyers in the American
markets Thus will be seen that the trade situation
IS favorable all around.
Locally there is nothing new. The recent rain.
throughout the central and northern portions of thu
State have enhanced the general feeling OF confidence
and the sale of over 100000 pounds of prunes
San Jose to an Eastern syndicate has infused new f
and strength into the dried fruit market Exporters
wholesalers and jobbers all report good demand fo
merchandise with easy collections and the retailer
are doing brisk holiday trade The situation in thi
city and State is fully as fatterng as in any othe
section Of the United States, which is saying gooc
deal