New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-29
FALL TRADE PROSPECTS.
A SLOW AND CAUTIOUS BEGINNING.

SLOW AND CAUTIOUS BEGINNING.
MANY BUYERS IN THE CITY, BUT PURCHASES MODE
RATE-TRADR MORE BACKWARD THAN LAST YEAR
NO SPECULATION AND A HEALTHY THOUGH LINZ
TIED BUsrNEss-THE TENDENCY TO THE USE OF
DOMESTIC GOODS.
The heaps of boxes numbering the sidewalks OF
the streets crossing Broadway which are gwen up 10
the activities of wholesale trade the constant Dste
and stir that attend the busy transfer OF merchah-
disc to and from the stories of great warehouses; as
well as the crowded condition of the chief hotels
which business frequent. are patent Indications
of the opening of the Fall trade of New-fork. OD-
servation and inquiry among the leaders OF WHOLE
sale trade show that there is an encouraging num-
Der of buyers in the city, and some houses report
them as giving orders of average size. Generally
they arc mentioned as showing cautious spirit.
The disasters of last Fall. and the only partially sat
isfactory results Of some preceding seasons, nave
taught most retail merchants to be exceeding care
full in their investments. They want to be
sure of their ground before taking in large
stocks. and they scan the horizon OF trade
very closely if perchance there may be small clouds
here and there betokening the approach of storm
The promise of generally good crops in the West and
the anticpations of the cotton CROP which, until re-
cent injuries from the drouth in some sections were
noted was thought very promising-have been in
strumenta in inducing many dealers to come to the
city or to send their representatives but they are
not in haste TO buy heavily. There no specula-
tive ventures making in dry goods or clothing, and
wholesale merchants generally consider that
the cautious policy, which has been pursued by
nearly all the dealers who have not been over
whelmed by the trade troubles of the past year, has
put the retail trade on pretty strong footing, and
no great number of failures is now feared. Retail
stocks are almost universally very low, as traders
lave not ventured to buy except IN small orders,
and then only when the goods were lmpera-
lively needed, and they still timid about
laying in full stocks till they think
themselves ont of danger from heavy loss
from failure Of crops or from commercial revulsons
Some large houses report tendency in purchases
toward medium and lower-priced goods rather than
the costler sorts, and domestic goods have been
more in request, in proportion to the volume OF
trade this year than ever before but this is declared
to be due to the steady advance in the excellence of
these goods as well as to the frugal tastes born of
the crisis. The mills of the country. to a consid-
cradle extent, have continued to manufacture freely
since Winter in spite Of dull sales account Of
the cheapness of raw material. and there now
large stocks of domestic goods hand. fair pro-
portion of these the obbing and retail trades are
expected to take. because of the extreme lightness
of the stocks they have been carrying for months.
In wholesale dry goods, ready-made clothing, and in
boots and Shoes a fair though not very extensive
trade is expected at prices very little lower than
last year. and without excessive difficulty IN collec-
TONS The subjoined statements of some of the first
merchants of the city in the wholesale dry-goods,
clothing and boot and shoe trades, show the expert
ence and expectations of representative these
three great branches of business.