Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-18
ST. PAUL TRADE.
Weekly Recie,c of the st. Paul Markets..
OFFICE OF THE GLOBE,
ST PkrI Dec II

1 L
ST. PAUL, Dec. II.
| Usually the week preceding the holidays is q
! dull time for commission and jobbing houses,
and great rush Of business is not expected by
either. The extraordinary absence Of snow
at this time of year, too, does not tend to the
| improvement of business. It is G novelty to
Minnesota for the cutter and sleigh to remain
undisturbed in the barn with the accumulation
of nine months dust upon them at Christmas
time. It ia novelty to which the farmer can
not well reconcile himself, and he feels as if it
were almost unnatural to 10 to market on
wheels to buy his Christmas presents. Day
after day he postpones going to town, with the
confident expectation that tomorrow will see
| sleighing, when be will COM
mence to haul his wheat and
other produce, but up to this 18th day Of De-
cember the snow has not come, and the river is
still open. Fortunately, however, nature has
not been 80 negligent of her duty and forget
fal of old time customs up in the big woods,
and has given the lumbermen just sufficient to
use runners. This has improved business a
little in lumbermens supplies.
The wheat market during the week has shown
some little inclination to lower figures No. l
being 20 off. The quantity coming in has not
been large, owing probably to the absence of
snow. The tester swincle is likely to become
even more intolerable than ever
if farmers will only submit to
the imposition. Some buyers are introd ucing
a little toy measure, which holds scarcely q
pint, not one-sixty-fourth of a bushel, a little
thing they can carry in their pocket. If the
two quarts measure is a swindle-and every
farmer knows it is-what must this little thin.
bic of thing be7 The GLOBE saw it tried on
wagon during the week with the larger tester,
| and there was difference of over two pounds
This is only what might be expected, and bears
out the theory often repeated in these col
umns, that smaller the tester the less weight in
proportion is given to the busbel. If the
farmer is to be swindled, he should choose the
least by insisting upon the large tester being
used.
Corn has suffered another fall Of two
cents. New corn is now coming
in literally, and stocks are increasing; the de
| mand is only light.
There is quite an active demand for oats. and
receipts are fair; ground feed. too, is enquired
for both in large and small lots for the lumber
ing camps; but although the demand is good
prices remain low, as the GLOBE predicted they
would, account eff the excellent crop of corn
and the large quantities of barley unfit for
brewing purposes. Bran is in fair demand at
lower figures.
Flour is dull, and quoted lower for all grades.
There has been good demand for mess
pork, and some enquiry has been made for
smoked meats at lower figures. Venison has
been very plentiful, the greater part coming
to market in excellent condition. but dealers
are shy of handling in large quantities simply
because with the first Of the new year eastern
markets cannot legally handle it, The law of
New York makes it illegal to sell venison
after Dec. 3lst, and all on hand after that day
has to be cured or thrown away. Dressed beef
is coming IN quite literally for which there is
fair demand.
Poultry is scarce with good demand. Ship
pers are unwisely holding off for the HOLIDAYS
in expectation of big demand when there will
be great rush, and the market will be com
pletely flooded. Good prices are commanded
! now, but in week like Thanksgiving time the
bottom will be knocked out of prices
Eggs still hold their own. The supply is light
and demand good.
From this ont till January the live stock
trade will he very dull. Dressed beef is com.
ing to market in such quantities that even the
| local butchers do not buy. OF course some
chase few tirst-class stall-fed Cattle for Christ
mas and the holidays, but the
great bulk of the meat consumed
will be supplied by the farmers
| already dressed. fair underst anding of the
| actual state of tile market can be gathered
from the sales Of to-day Tuesday,; four head
steers, over LOCO lbs. each, sold at S2.S5 per
100 lbs. live weights two sc COWS, average
weight 1850 lbs, sold at 8 % per head or less
than &c per 10. live weight.
Jobbtng honses are not over-rushed with
business at the present time; some lines report
fair trade while others are dull, some are buster
| than they expected to be while others would
gladly see colder weather and plenty of snow
Dry goods hous es are generally trying to re-
duce stock in preparation for stock taking at
the end OF the year. There has
been a slight increase in demand for
heavy fabrics and wooen goods; there are but
q few changes III quotations, of minor import
ance.
The grocers have a fair, steady business: ordi-
nary coffess are q little lower, but choice are
scarce and very firm. Sugars are quiet. Teas
no change. with stocks running down. Kero-
sene has advanced, and 10c has been nut on
salt. Sleighing would improve the grocery
trade, as we'll as all others.
Drugs are quiet; opium, morphine and castor
Oil have advanced. Lard oils have deprecated
&c.
There has besn quite a brisk business done IN
furs during the week; winter rat, fox, lyn. and
otter are coming IN largely. and demand slight
ly higher prices.
There is general tendency to advance on
hardware; nails zoe higher and consider
able change in quotations of other goods are
made this week, and higher prices are looked
for. There will probably shortly be an adj
vance on iron stock. which will effect al! hard
ware goods more or less.
Leather and findings, boots and shoes are
quiet and unchanged.