The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-05-06
GktGnteIliGenrf
BUSINESS PROSPECTS.
T1E SPRING OUTLOOK IN cmcAo0.

kFTom lhe UhcARo TfiDune'I
The backwardncsS Ui the season and
the unusually unpleasant weather has In
terfercd with and delayed, to some extent
the resumption oil Spring business; and
there arc those whoinot informed Of the
actual facts, assume and cry out that the
general trade Of the city was mover 60
dull This Is not the case. That there
Is not so much building in progress at
this time as there was In 1879 and 1873
Is q natural result Of the extraordinary
amount Of work done In those years. Il
10 not likely that. the amount Of building
on private account 10 any one year will
ever equal that which was done In this
city In those two seasons following the
fire. Nevertheless, II we had no knowl.
edge oil those two years building, the
amount now 10 progress and under con.
tract would seem large.
The old custom OF the grain trade OF
Chicago was, that as soon as navigation
closed, the grain trade was practically
suspended. The receipts by rail during
the winter went into warehouse and re-
manned there until spring. In the first
few weeks Of spring there was demand
Tor vessels ireights were liberal, and fleets
Of vessels took their departure The rail.
roads leading to Chicago resumed their
business and began hauling grain to the
city, and this was kept up steadily until
navigation closed. But four or five years
ago this grain business experienced a
Slight modification. The first season
there were a few and occasional shipments
during the winter by rail the next season
thepracticewas increased, including -four
and meats, and so until the last winter,
when the shipment OF Western products
was continuous. The extent Of this
business Is easily shown. During the year
ending Aug. l, 1873, there was received In
Chicago II, 52S. 6S5 bushels Of wheat; since
then, and up 10 this time, We have re-
ceived % .46S 1859 bushela. From Aug |
TO Dec l, 1873, we received 1925, 422
bushels, or 1900, 900 bushels more than In
the preceding twelve months. Notwith-
standing these extraordinary receipts,
there Is now but little more wheat In
warehouses in this city than there was a
year ago This shows that oil the rail-
roads leading to Chicago have been haul.
ing Wheatln immense quantities during
the entire Winter, and that during the
same period we have been chipping it to
the East BY the same means OF transport
tatton. Instead OF the season" of ship
ment beginning with the opening OF nsvi.
CATION, It has not been suspended at all,
but has continued uninterrupted, In ad.
ditiOn to this, tho shipments Of wheat
from points west OF Chicago, by through
lines and not passing through store In
this city, have been also unusually large
The trade In pork, lard, and meats has
been FULLY up with that OF last year-the
sale OF cut-mests aggregating so lar in
this week about 2,250, 900 pounds.
From this single item 1t will be seen
that there has been continuous trade
going on during the entire Winter; that
the crops have been kept moving, and
that more money has passed into the
hands Of the country producers than ever
did before in tho same months. The
farmers have not only shipped more grain
and stock, but have received much larger
prices, than the average OF preceding
years. The result is, that there ia more
money In the interior at this time, for
crops sold during the Winter, than was
ever before known In the history Of the
grain trade. All this business, covering
many millions Of dollars, has been done
without any special noise or hustle, but
as o matter Of course.
There have been large sums OF money
from all parts Of the West here In Chi
cago for investment; the aggregate
amount has been larger than in any pre-.
ceding year. The owners Of this money
have carefully AVOIDED all speculative in
vestments, and the class of securities they
have demanded has been the very best.
There has been no lack of money here
seeking investments Of q substantial char.
acter; any person with frst-class secufI-
ties has been able to get all the &C.
commodatlon needed; nor has there been
any difficulty in getting loans on i'm
proved real estate well located. The
fact Is that the bowling for more money,
and the outcry against the severity OF the
market, have been confined exclusively
to those entsngled In the wide spread
speculation, and to those whose credit
has been expanded to the utmost tension,
and who have not an additional rag Of
security to offer. As we have said, In
some branches Of the retail trade the pro-
longed cold weather has made some dill.
ference, but other branches have enjoyed
corresponding benefit, The immense
shipments by rail during tho winter have
diminished the demand by lake treights.
The winter sales Of our wholesale estab.
lishments have not in the least dimin.
ished. the sales showing an increased
amount OF goods sold. The interior hav.
Ing more money than usual at this sea.
son, the general trade has been aided by
this circumstance. The only striking
difference in the trade is that the general
receipts and shipments Of wheat, which
hitherto have been more or less crowded
Into the early weeks oil spring, have been
anticipated by the continuous receipts
and shipments by rail during the winter"