, 1876-01-01

loot n1 q fatal OF nbpuk S|oIuuu.QuU hRAlnHa
$50, 900. 900 III 1874. and eco o0ooo0o in 1873, tue
latter boiuB nearly the same as III 1872. The
capital now engaged in lhe bualaeaa ia estimated
at about *8,000,00o+ having increased slightly
during tla yoar by tho addition Of profits in buBi
ness to the curEont stocks. There has boen No
increase iu tho number Of JobberB and no
fai!urcB tile less-pamed fact speaking volumes
for tho stability OF our trade, as failures hav0
been numsroun among tho Wholesale grocery
firms 1T tho East. Wo noto no changes In this
business snve shose lnc5ont to d satisfactory er-
panB,on In tile volume Of transactions by houses
already In the trade, They hayo Teaohoa Gus
iuto now territory, ~ vol ns dealt moro largely
with that previously occupied.
Tho year 1876 l,as been only fairly profitable to
the grocery trade. owing to tho close margin on
lt!cca On HtockH in haul. Tie market was Ron.
orally bsoajy. but considerable caro- was necoa-
anry to avoid nerious loss by shrlnkaRo OF prtcel
on Gools oe.ween ths h. ttGco they wo1S bought
occuri cd on toas. e'rnps, and uolassea. Co!Icc..
t1ons III tie country wero generally reported
good; thoy vera never bot:er than recently.
Direct importRttons by Chicago merchants
Bhuw continual increase.
THE Tf.A TRADE
hns been large but unsatisfactory to all engaged
iu Il. There was general expectation that Tie
would bo nboislcd carly Ia tho yoar, and doalors
wero induced 10 ntook up heavily at tho relatively
high trlcos Of year AGo. Tho anticipated tax
was not Imposed. mud the consequences was that
large stocks we're rro,sing on the n,arset at ao-
we're loss to tho holders. Prices declined 70 lower
1,oint thnn Ind been known since the War Of ths
Robeilou. Tho direct importAttons Of ton into
Chicago Bhow an Increase Of about ~ per cont
oyor former years slp:e tito Pacific Railroad
operlol ua the overland hvotiue OF tia traffic in
1BG0. The dulinosa OF trade in the East has
tended 10 concentrate tho tea bueincsa
Ftt
for tic auppty Of largo part Of tho continent.
This iB' especially tho caso with taran toas.
which aru rGpidlv growing IN public favor. and
o. m
market a feH yoAys ngo. They arc cheaper, and
give hetter satisfaction than the teaa FROM
China. Tho avovago time betwoen Yokohama
days. though the distance has been covered BY
conRignmontH in tTonty-sayon days, This
is 80 great aaving. OF time aud
capital, to my nothing Of the dototioratlon
I've months VOYAGE around tho Capo. with the
double running Of tho gauntlet through tas
tropics, TINT tho merchants Of tho Atlantic seq
overland ronie. through chtcago, or coaTsa
shev cannot curry tho goods 1000 milea past ou1
doors. and gond them back again to composs
with those brought horc dFect. and have
that tiloy chnuot compete vith Chicago tobbsra
cxcopt at Q loss. ...
Tho iobb;ug sales of this city In 1876 uera
about 1lo. 900 pasSaEss. agalnst 100 ooo in 1874.
ported diroct. the majority Of tho packages
being half chests. VIC note that rather largo
liue Of Japan toas wss sold by Chicago firm 70
Prices ruled about loo per ID lever. Grocna
averaged G0@G5o, and Jnpans $4,000 por ID.
Tho derliue has checked importation OF late, and
the maraet c!oses with firm feeling In coa-
ae1ucrce.
Prices both for staple and silo goods have
shown moro Bsandinesa than during 1874.
C0PFEE5
did not touch as high point, but tRko tho year
through they show = hlghos average. The
market IN IN tue llauGs OF powerful ring" Ia
New York, anu is manipulated "a bcss suits their
insesosts. A. result, tho market Ia kept 10 an
tattona OF Brazil coffee Into tho United States
were, iu 1871 1,4G9, ,578 bags; In 1875 1,8l0,90a
baga; in l872 l,l8t AG7 bags; In 1877, 1851. .7ao
bags; and in 1870. ,2s0. e9a bags. III. 1863, ow.
The importations during 1876 ATE believed to
have been 4 little larger than for tho previous
year. The consumption Of
vas materially losa than In 1871 owing to thas
failure Of tho fruit crop. snd tho coaseauo'a.
dimfuutson in the domand for canning and pre- ~
serving purposes. Az the production WAS iarg' Sh
praoos Notwithstanding tho additional tax, has
Il cent leSa thau for the previous HeAaor. Fo ii
1e!l,loss 1t wha an unprofsab,o year, and eoverse.
failures as tho ERst and South vera announced O.
J but lattorly tho tone OF tho market has nsuohs
improved, aud tie yoar closes. on ilrm mud .
healthy trade. III ettups mud uaolaaaca there haa
| beeu i ahrinkage Of 5D9o per gallon. but thu
| chesp rates have Witnessed a hrgoly~lncroasGd
consumption. Tbs rice market has preserved
| remarkably steady tone throughout tho seasoo.
the fluctuations scarcely exceeding ~ per bar.
re!. During the past two os thraa esasons thorol
| has boon stcady decrease In the conaumRtiolS
| OF
| md tho trade during 1875 VAS most uDsntiafao
| tory, both to tho importer aud 1obbor. pappoI o
| oponed at 2i@2lNo, gold. In Now York. de-
c,ned to Ito III July, and ctoscd as 144c, which :.
" the lowest figure reached since before tlo Var. /
vos.od. and witt! largs surplus. both In thin
county and in Europe. tho prospects, for thu
| Boason Of 1910 $40 not very cheering. Nutmega
opened At 81. .08t01 10 lu gold aud hare gradual.
u woslod downward. closnc at 9so@ 3l.oo.
fhoso ia ample stock and quiet trade. conso-
holders. Oloyes have not done az vol ~, from
tho statistical position Of ths ,uaskas At tho bo-
| ginning OF tha yoRr. holders wero tuAiasd In an.
ticipatiag. TAere was Al undoubted deucleucy
| tn tho csop.-eHlIuased 1t 1900 baiaa,-snd
tI,ere NeEo somo Who predicted ao adyApco
proved much lighter thsn usual, md
BIO gold in New York was tho Highest
| figure reached. The total stock ID estimated u
| 60, 900 baias. CassS ruled weak aud unsettled
throughout the year. In consequence OF the large
| stocks Of old and inferior goodH that from tins
to tinio were put upon tho market at auction;
Allsptca waa abort cro'l and high prices prevail
! for the tia,e being. bns thsra is not much COR
hdence in the stability Of the maskat
CANNED GOODS.
TO JopnRns OF CANNED aooD1