The New York herald., 1875-08-30
THH BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
Prospects Of a Safe and Sure
Trade This Fall.
Rigid Economy Of All Glasses
Of Buyers.
A Thorough Examination of Credits In
sisted Upon by Sellers.
Speculative Transactions in Abeyance Until the
Currency Question is Settled

Currency Question is Settled.
With the opening September the interests OF busi
throughout the country generally affected
by the prospects of the fall trade the careul
operators are at that time able form opinion
whether the trade will be large and the movements in
certain lines light and steady or made exciting and
certain by speculative demands.
From the reports gathered this city by converse
tions with the prominent members OF the several
branches of trade largely represented here there
doubt that the fall trade will be conducted strictly
conservative basis Large numbers of buyers from the
South and Southwest the North and North
west have been circulating among the wholesale
merchants, agents and jobbers during the past
weeks examining goods and samples getting thoroughly
posted upon the prices in the market and giving their
views about the result of the crops From Ohio Indi-
ana, Illinois, Michigan Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota,
Missouri, Kansas Nebraska and Dakota the
that good average crops havo resulted from the aDors
OF the farmers and that the freighs of the Western
railroads increasing with sufficient rapidy to
rant the assumption that railroad property will suffer
no further material depression. The corn, oats and
wheat crops Minnesota equal TO 81 por cent OF the
full crop Michigan Kansas, Nebraska and Dakota
port the cheerful aspect of affairs.
Throughout Illinois the crop will average s5 per
cent, about 10 per cent and not than half
crop. In Missouri the will probably yield about
three quarters of full crop, about one-haf and
the wheat a quarter From Indiana the
ports better giving the State 10 per cent
so per wheat and about 10 per cent in
Iowa will get n crop fully equal to 81 per of
the full CROP while oats the figures be placed ut
81 to &c. and wheat at so to 55 per cent In the
minds OF the city merchants these reports indicate ut
least satisfactory condition Of affairs at the West,
which, coupled with the caution manifested by buyers
from all sections of the country to limit their purchases
strictly the supply for immediate wants, to barely
keep up assortments of stocks has made general i'm
preston that the during the balance of the year
will be financially safe to both seller and buyer
In order to learn the feeling among gentlemen
lively engaged supplying the Western and Southern
dealers in lines HERALD reporter called
of the leading merchants and gathered the fol-
lowing information relative to the
DRY GOODS TRADE
Among the agents of the manufacturers of domestic
sheetings shrtings and prints there is firm impress
sion there will be any rush of buyers this
city during the fall lay in large stocks The 'sea-
sons" in these lines, in nearly all others,
longer recognized Before the merchants could
depend upon receiving rush of buyers
| in certain months Of the year. when
the entire working forces of their
|
capacity, night and day, to fill orders. Then dull
would follow, and ample time be given to pre-
pare the excitement Since then the increased
facilities afforded by the general Of the electric tee
graph, an improved mail service and more rapid COM
munication by steamboats, and railways have changed
that system, and the country dealer merchant re-
mains home, watching the effects of a closer
competition among the members Of his trade and
guarding with greater his private interests An
the employment by city houses of large numbers of
| travelling statesmen, who exhibit samples Of the
latest styles OF work sent to them at different
| points along their routes as rapidly they
can be forwarded. Each sample is numbered
and the buyer can order by mail telegraph with the
assurance that if his credit is good the merchandise
will be promptly forwarded. With these lines TO work
and the present uncertainty Of the financial policy
of6the country, out-of-town buyers have kept their
stocks down the lowest working basis fearing that
in the event of u sudden determination of the money
question they would be compelled TO carry large
deprecated stocks to another season. with little
! chances OF profit.
In nearly all lines OF domestic dry goods the package
! distribution has been fair, deaicrs making moderate
! bills with careful selections for assortments, but
/ duplicating their orders as occasion required,
so that IL is admitted fact that the
aggregate sales during the previous months Of this
J
several prominent houses the amounts exceed those OF
! the previous year
Leading staple and special novelties designed for the
fall trade have been quietly moving in that way, but
the market has no real animation.
The assortment OF dry goods of all lines upon the
market very choice and desirable and prices low
careful comparison of the prices quoted this year
with those of the corresponding period Of last year Will
show in most cases reduction in quotations Of from
from three per Agents manifest disposi-
ton to resist any attempts at further reductions, be-
! lieving that the bottom prices have been reached
At,nn fhn andfn urpl nHaI i'm Iha AlA hnl
ness the same impressions prevail One Of the mem
! bers of prominent firm stated to the reporter that
he felt confident the people OF the interior doing
safe and legitimate business, Tor there was no specna-
demand and the dealers buying continually,
but Ia small lots. Credits closely watched,
and as consequence the unreliable men are rapidly
disappearing from the edgers of the city jobbers and
wholesale merchants their places passing into the hands
| Of those who can and will meet their payments
! promptly. When asked what effect the approaching
! Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia would
have upon the trade in New York, he repled:-
! 'I prefer have the Centennial Exhibition made
Philadelphia instead Of in this city; for although the
| people will flock Philadelphia the exhibition
| they will come to New York to buy goods"
In reference to the recent Hoods in the Ohio Valley
and the grasshopper plague further west he said-We
are course strict with credits asked from those dis
trcts, and discriminate in favor of those whose record
has been the clearest As yet we have received but
to spare the purchase of goods, and
PEELED exercise the most rigid economy. The trade
from those sections will bo very light, The extreme
/ Northwestern buyers viii not make up their
/ stocks at present beyond actu Il wants, and
they send such orders by mail and toc-
graph The principal trade at present is with the
South aud Southwest The Increased steam communl-
cation with Texas has developed better trade there;
but large stocks will be taken, for by telegraph and
steam the buyers order and receive their goods
within eight or ten days Prices generally lower
than at this time last year, but do not think that any
further reductions will be made, for selling
goods prices below the cost of manufacture"
! FOREIGN DRY GOODS.
Among the importers and jobbers offoregn dry goods
the same general impression exhibited Buyers
decline to load up with even the choicest selections OF
stock preferrng to make frequent purchases aud reap
the advantage OF any changes for tho better the lna
cia question.
There is fair demand for volvcts and velveteens in
plain coors, and good demand for black colored
silks, with slight preference coors for shades OF
that known as cardinal" Prices about ten per