The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-11
THE GROCERY TRADE.
PRICES OF TEA, COFFEE AND SUGAR
Advances in the Prices of
Canned Goods.


Notwithstanding the mournful numbers in which GER
tain merchants chant Of the decline OF trade and the
decay Of commerce TO this market, all present ndica
tons are against the gloomy future they have marked
ont for themselves and their commercial brothers In
conversation had yesterday with one Of the largest
grocery dealers in town, HERALD reporter learned
that during the six months trade had been brsker
and credit hrmer than had been known for long time
previous This Of course, was only the individual ex
perience of the gentleman in question, but the cor
roborave testimony many others encourages the be-
lief that he spoke the general mind In the of
his conversation the gentleman made many general
marks which, from his ample information on the sub
ject or trade are cntltlodto consideration
He stated that since the panic purchasers had be-
come conservative, and speculative purchases were
very few The general inclination seemed 10 be to
'hug the shore,H deep water sailing deemed
safe Purchases though small very frequent,
and thus the market was kept healthy activity 1t
might said general terms that the country bare
OF stock there being sufficient however TO meet all the
demands OF consumption. The experience of the panic
induced this cautious manner in the market and but
great financial involved in the Presiden-
election Of year speculation would have been
resumed ere now The unsettled financial policy the
government or properly the uncertainty of the
tenets which will be held by the government TO be
chosen 1876 tends TO preserve the conservative tone
before mentioned
In speaking the failures Of past this gentleman
said that although their immediate consequences we're
rather embarrassing the results could be
looked upon other than favorable. The general con-
had tended weed of the trade the weaker
dealers who feeble principally for the that
they operated unstable basis Most those who
hal withstood the Of the hard times as the
term goes had conducted their business strict prn
and were "a that
by their success the general havoc wrought among
the dealers OF the other school,
1t is the general opinion that this state of things will
last until after the next Presidential election when the
policy Of the States will formed traders thus en-
abled TO see little ahead.
These views are Of course general and while think
ing engaged in making deductions to future
prospects from present indications past events
still goes on for though the Union be severed,
the must be wet and meals be made ready.
THE COST OF GROCERIES,
In the following glance prices the whole
sale figures given, and this statement is made in
justice the hundreds Of good housewives who read
ing Them might be induced say cruel things regard
ing the green grocer from whom they purchase their
supplies If they add to the figures quoted about
iwentyh per they VIII find the price paid to
taers. The per cent wI Of course, Vary ID Many m
stances as for instance, sugar tea or some fancy
groceries The dealer will make sugar '1eader" and
will sell it at an advance of seven and half or eight
per cent making thereby just enough to pay for the
brown paper and Irvine which he gives away with it,
but in majority Of the loss is than over
balanced by the prices of other articles
TEA
very airquality of tea is sold at from soc to s5c
per pound Those whose tastes fictitious highly
cultivated coquete with their purses and obtain
article as high as 81 Is per pound This last price is
demanded for the choice Gunpowder. The
choicest English breakfast is quoted at 75c and the best
Japan al 90c.
Coffee, though apparently cheaper than tea, s
relatively much dearer. For instance extra good
quality Of be had for fifty cents per pound,
while good coffee ranges in price from thirty seven
10 forty-1ve cents pound OF tea in consumption
will 20 four times far four pounds of coffee thus
proving the assertion that comparatively IL is much
cheaper. There many reasons why coffee demands
such high prices. CHIEF among these reasons is this
that the market is controlled by of close corpora
ton which takes advantage OF every report OF short
crops or damage TO the same by ram flood or drought
During the past ten years the consumption Of coffee
has greatly increased and the consequent high prices
have induced many TO go into the coffee raising bust
II would be supposed that the increased produc
would meet the consumers demand, but the con-
s.@pR thus 's SSduos S" paradox T ei BSSaS
! Of lh{ SUPPLY regulating the demand
ready market is always found for coffee and II Is re-
Karded Of the safest investments in the business
merchant can go 10 a bank and get larger advance
a cargo Of coffee than almost any other article Of
consumption, Its nrice never goes belaY certain
point and II there be any Variation in tho price tho
chances are eminenty in favor Of an increase For
these conee speculative ware. and such
is subject corners much any OF the stocks
'Change. All the coffee in the market at present IS
controlled by sort Of pool This pool has caused
20 have circulated and much magned all the stories OF
short crops foods, &c order TO affect avoraby the
prices OF The goods they hold For a short while
sfancyN figures prevailed. but the
unable 10 hold the coffee and il getting into the
market little quicker than i is taken out prices
coming down trihe.
Mocha roasted ranges from As cents 10 II cents per
pound Java Is quoted al 40 cents Ceylon IS cents
and 80 cents and Maracioo AZ - cents and 33 cents.
Sugar is an article on which very little profit is
made As stated in the beginning o. this article il is
sold at q very small advance-ten per being con
sidered very good profit Cut Loaf il marked
IIH cents per pound, "granulatedn al Il cents;
III 4 cents. Prices graduated down as low AZ u
cents at which market molasses sugar i found. The
figures just given are asked Tor small lots.
Carolina rice is quoted at from to 81 cents, Ran
COON at u 10 cents
CANNED GOODS
These wares are in high demand and are bringing
very good prices Owing TO the ample profits made IN
the goods trade IN former years much capital
invested in the interest last year, and as con.
sequence the market was over supplied and
prices went down. The falling of IN prices
discouraged many OF the hands at the business,
and many Of them dropped out This experience led
old Gamers to conserve their supply 10 the probable
with the cessation Of many iactorles the market IS
littlc short and good prices are the result AZ the
opening Of the market buyers bid very low, IN fact
30 low that all convinced further decline was
possible As green fruits and vegetables began
10 disappear from the market q marked advance was
noticeable and the probability Is that the present prices
will further advance
TOMATOES
Auvces ron every section show much less packing
than " was expected would be done ii tomatoes This
slargely owingto the fact that many who put up
toes last year nave packed only peaches this In
Maryland the country packers have confined them
selves entirely 70 peaches IN Delaware about 100 900
cases 81 tomatoes we're packed last season and this
year We cannot hnd over 1900 cases as an outside
estimate, even 7 irosts hold oa late In New
Jersey, where the bulk always nut %.
there VIII scarcely be one half and