The New York herald., 1874-08-31

The Business Outlook for the
Coming Months.
A FEELING OF CONFIDENCE.
Dealers, Importers and Jobbers
All Cheerful.
What They Have to Say
on the Subject.

on the Subject.
During the early portion OF the summer there
was much apprehension among business men con-
cerning the fall trade. Those OF them who had
gone through the panic Without being ruined, yet
who had been left IN badly crippled condition,
have ever since, very naturally, kept their weather
eyes open for breakers ahead in the future; ana as
the feeling seemed then to be quite general even
among some OF the shrewdest and most far
sighted, that the effects OF the panic would be
almost as keenly felt this fall 1t was last Octo
ber, 1t is not to be wondered at that only month
or two ago the business community ieit uneasy
and full of gloomy anticipations. And yet it would
now seem, Judging from the activity being dis
played In
THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS OF BUSINESS,
and from the talk or those men who, from
their high standing in. business circles, have
the very best means OF informing themselves as
to the genera. business sentiment, that the pros
poets are by no means gloomy; on the contrary
that everything looks quite promising. However,
1t must not be understood that because the general
feeling is one of confluence that there are not
few prominent business men in the community
who shake their heads and shrug their shoulders
and say "We nope, but we are not over conf
dent" Still these men are so few, compared with
those who believe in prosperous season in all
the branches OF trade, that they may be simply
looked upon as the exceptions that prove the
rule. HERALD representative during the past
few days has been visiting very large number OF
tradesmen to ascertain their views on the sub
ject OF
THE CHANCES OF THE FALL TRADE,
and in nine cases out Of ten the feeling expressed
to him by those he met was that of confidence.
Indeed few who were spoken to asserted that in
their opinion, the fall trade this year would be the
largest enjoyed for years.
DRY GOODS.
Among the dry goods men, importers and job
bers alike there were found but one or two OF any
note who did not express themselves hopeful for
good times ahead. Said one leading importer, Of
OF the largest houses in the city, to the HERALD
representative :-"There can be no doubt about
one thing this fall, and that is that people Will
economze. The trade will to certain degree feel
the effect OF this. but not to such an extent as to
create any absolute loss. Prices will be maintained,
and, II anything, rule higher. People, so far as we
can tell from present Indications will buy Just
freely as ever, but they will not buy as expensive
goods as usual. The rich people will undoubtedly
buy, as rule just the same line OF goods; but
those who are not what may be called rich and yet
who are by no means poor-the well-to-do middle
classes, let me call them-wil not buy as expen.
sve goods. For instance, lady who year ago
will content herself now with paying 81 IS a yard,
thereabouts, for an inferior article. 1t is just
in this way that
THE ECoNOMIZING POLICY
will be demonstrated by thousands, and, as mat
ter OF course, the trade will be affected little by
it.n
1t was ascertained by the reporter during his
visits to several or the leading importers that as
the panic had caught so many OF them overloaded
vUrth .1S
were now acting cautiously and. as general thing
only carrying what was absolutely needed Jobbers,
too, were acting with more than usual caution.
Notwithstanding all this, orders were coming in
quite freely on all sdes and the indications were
that buyers out OF town had gotten over o good
deal OF the fright they had been thrown into last
September. and, while not acting boldly in getting
goods as In previous years, they would not be too
chary In giving their orders. Already. It was
stated, large orders were being received from
THE WEST AND SOUTH
but that as yet the orders Ior the highest lines
pectation. Still the importers are not at all fear
ful about the matter, as, as has already been
goods in any great excess over the ordinary
demands. One OF the arguments to show
at ew ne were ny really good
partner IN one OF the leading wholesale dry
goods houses on Broadway. He stated that lor
eight months IN 1872 (irom January y the total
lmportations entered for consumption were
500 1888, 7al, $so,Sle,o5a oeng Withdrawn from the
s97,656. 704. In 1873 during eight corresponding
months) there was serious falling of, the amount
the exact figure being s57, i93, 1886. The amount
Withdrawn from warehouse was S39,66 ,3l6 and
total amount entered at the port in 1872 was
$l05, 127,5l9 and IN 1873 the falling or was a
the aaSsS 20
tnat these figures were pretty good tell tales
o. 1on EXCESSIVE ,SsS Ssh tunes and the reac
not to look az the foreign importations
OF those years as an invariable guide to what the
the effects OF the panic OF last year are still here
and there ST. strongly apparent Yet they have
wfts It neea sausS not Ss
this port are dry goods. SO YOU viii see that it
cannot t.. always be taken as sure indication o.
this character; Tor sometimes
ARTICLES OF VALUE IMPORTED
run up the sum total to large amount In one
year, whereas 10 another there may be really more
articles imported that are OF general use and
necessary to the people as wnoie, and yet the
pend upon 1t, what Is imported will be OF the gen.
eral utility qualify so to speak, rather tnan OF that
expensive display rather than the sod SUBSTANTIAL
articles OF wear and daily use: Yet in the lace Of
we ind thas Ss packages q ary goods were
s2sis,52s, while ii 1873 for the same period there
were 5,742 packages valued ut 81, ,967, $685. There
were OF these In 1873 thrown on the market 9,o22
packages, valued at So. 1852 S7S, against 324 pack.
ages IN 1874 during the week alluded to, valued at
tb But curing TINS week O.! 1873 you win
factures Of SILK Withdrawn from warehouse and
thrown on the market valued at nearly $500, 600;
whereas In 1874 there were but 1856 packages
valued at $l6SQg2, During the same time In 1873
manufactures 81 wool valued at $59s,s75 were
Withdrawn from the warehouse ana thrown
ppon the market, as against $o59,777 during
tne week this year. I smb.s call at
tenti0n to these figures to show how
hard 1t Is to argue too technically with the
usual figures as your guide Tor wnat may come to
pass during the lall, and take this week simply
because the figures are under my thumb here But
they show, anyhow, that we are starting well for
the season. The prospects, In my opinion Tor the
dry goods trade, anyhow, are very good, and
though the trade In the finest and most expensive
articles that
THE VERY RICH AND WE'LL TO DO