The New York herald., 1876-02-28
THE SPRING TRADE
A Gloomy Outlook for the Mer-
chants of the Country.
WHAT AN OPEN WINTER HAS CAUSED.
How the Centennial May Revive For
tunes Now Dropping.

In 1875, after the general depression In trade
through the United States and the failures reported
during the previous year, merchants IN this city
thought that they had passed the crisis, and might
justly be pardoned for investing the future with
couieur de rose The spring trade. II felt must be
a vigorous ana remunerative one, and last February
people determined to be CHEEKY Manufacturers,
jobbers and traders entered upon the spring cam
pagn energetically Unfortunately few hopes were
half realized and the year 1875 has seen greater
number of failures In the different States than its
predecessor. while this is true it is thought by men
prominent in commercial circles that the involved
in these financial disasters Is any greater than that
involved in the disasters OF 1874 The continued mis-
fortunes related from time to time have naturally
gloom over spring trade prospects Il cannot
be denied that great many in New York
sorely exercised the bleak outlook for them
fear lest expression of opinion would only invite
trouble. deters them from speaking plainly the sub
ject 1t must not be inferred from this however that
the season will be dull
The fortunate people among the large wholesale
straw goods men, who informed HERALD reporter
during the past days that the received from
tnor country correspondents and dealers about
twice as numerous this season they were last. Mr..
Clarke OF the firm OF Clarke Brothers, No $50 Broad
way Indicated the for this marked increase in
their ranch OF trade. Large stocks of straw goods
since last spring. most OF them have since been
sold obbers by auction otherwise for cash very
far below their original appraisal hence the latter
afford to
LIBERAL CONCESSIONS
to the Western, Southern and Southwestern houses.
many Of whom were it not for this would find it DIM
cult to open their spring trade successfully The job
bers realizing fair margins OF profit their
this month, and anticipate the future
tho afale ah1 h1iehp
Broadway and Sixth avenue doing well, because
their customers belong to class of citizens who
always have money pay for their purchases; but the
smaller dealers regarded the whole as bcing
very
The manufacturers and operatives all over tho Union
certainly sufferers. They have lost years. labor
to speak, and are only selling what they should
have sold in the spring Of 1878 Notwithstanding this
increase in the demand for goods. &C. this
the last It is too sadly apparent that the ad
vent of orders later than customary in former years
Dry goods the most retccnt OF any OF the
merchants visited. Some of the large houses even
now doing good business.
GOODS PROSPECTS.
While the smaller dry goods merchants invariably
refer TO the certain and immediate revival OF trade the
weather. decline to hazard any opinion whatever
Notably among these is Mr.. Donnelson OF the firm OF
II. b. Ca1n Co. There other gentlemen. how
ever connected with this firm who did think them
selves bound to be silent They said that brighter
times expected but that the receipt OF orders for
dry goods is thus far seriously lae-late enough to
cause apprchensions in many houses. Much is ex-
pected during the Centennial II is thought that tho
demand and consumption OF goods will be very mate
rally Increased and If in the interim some firms should
fail II will be nothing more than occurs annually.
Mr. PEAKEs VIEWS
| reporter saw Mr.. Peakes, of the firm Of Pcakes 4
Opdycke Broadway, In relation spring trade pros
poets and received vory encouraging expressions
| from him AT the very outset Mr. Peakes stgmatized
all the reports In circulation promising re-
vival in business this season as ridiculous
and without any foundation in fact The
dealers and storekeepers bought their goods
customers, according TO practice early the fall CIV
ing bills which mature in December. The stocks pur-
chased large the dealers expectations and
they were never sold. Farmers are canny cautious
people who only buy what they actually require In
the way OF clothing, and their needs governed
great measure by the weather-that is to say, the
farming classes want warm garments If the winter be
severe II II set in early as IT nearly always does in
the West and North, before Christmas the country
storekeepcr disposcs OF his goods before the LIST OF
January and his winter trade Is practically ended. In
the event OF late winter and mld holiday
the rustic deers his purchase of warm clothing until
the necessity for 1t arrives Should the year dawn
upon fine weather the chances ten to one that the
farmer Will not buy heavy garments at all, because
spring is too near and his older garments will him
through the short cold snap Such resolves may serve
the economical husbandman, but they ruin the poor
country sorckeepcr, whose bills inquired before the
1st of January stock he had been unable TO SELL
rhis, said Mr.. Peakes, has just been the last
year The out-oftown dry goods have
absolutely no business; the weather having been
mild and money among their customers of
grave Importance in the face of hard times"
In addition TO this Mr.. Pcakcs remarked that pros
perty in trade could not be expected long thirty
hve or iorty per cent OF our working classes, who
the bulk OF the consumers are unemployed This
condition attributable the lack of confidence be-
tween capitalists and operatives the fault altogether OF
the latter The whole question can be explained by
the complications generated in trades and cul-
mDating In strikes and eight hour laws In these times
consequent on The financial crisis Of few years ago,
nltgfG hnN mt Tint hn afo ofnr than
10 invest in enterprises calculated 10 give work to the
unemployed; for they, the capitalists could be
their 'hands" the latter would not indulge
in an ill-adviscd strike. In Mr.. Peakes' judgment
at least hrtynve per cent OF the working people Of
the entire country are de and nonproductive for this
and in consequence money is not IN the posses
sion OF vast number OF persons who always influence
trade by CONSUMPTION. dozen other causes could be
assigned for the expectation OF the good spring
season so heartily desired and so vital at this moment
10 the welfare OF the mercantile community. Mr.
Peakts saw no indication anywhere OF n revival not
alone in his own trade but in any There had been
many failures IN business TO permit OF belief in such
thing. No doubt persons would
trivc by untir'ng energy and the possession
Then too, the large influx of foreigners, who during
the Centcnniah are expected to spend millions Of dol
lars in the United States, may brighten things up
sideraby hut little can be built this, aud the most
that any ludicious business could say he
with the rest OF his brethren, had little hopes OF great
things IN the spring. but looked forward TO excel
THE GENERAL OPINION
dry goods dealers and obbcrs the city corrObcratcs
Mr. Peakes views. None OF them say that there Is
the ghost OF reason for the anticipation OF business
revival Some there OF sangune temperament
who breathe hopes OF change for the better after the
LIST OF March, but when asked whereon their hopes are
founded they tongue tied and leave the old unia-
vorable impression.
LUMBER
The lumber and iron trades seem 10 have suffered
the most during these hard times The former as
everybody can sec Is almost at stdndstill There is
scarcely any building gong on, owing before re-
marked, TO the want OF confidence between employers
and mechanics. III men won't build, !" said a pfomi-
ncnt lumber dealer, ''we can't get market ior our
timber and IL lies In yards non-remuneratiye
while the bills on which II bought are maturing or
maturcd, and and rent be paid and horses
fed. This Is ruinous The besl OF us ,nnii snnd