Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-11
THE BUSINESS BOOM.
THE WHOLESALERS ON MAIN STREET.
A Millennium Of Trsde-The Metropolitan
Rush Of BUsiness-General Ad-
vance in Prices-A Bril-
liant Outlook.

through which flows Wheeling's trade. |
Take a stroll along it from Twelfth TO |
Sixteenth streets, during the middle OF
| the week and you can gain some idea OF |
the general traffic OF which it is the ave- !
nue.. Drive upon it and your vehicle |
must thread the thrOng of drays and |
wagons that transform it into Broad
way. Upon every person you meet and
building YOU pass is written business,
business; barter and trade; profit and
| loss. II is the centre OF Wheelings |
commercial wealth.
Our mills are booming and our factor
les are running on double time. How OF
our wholesale trade?
on THE VERY CREST
of the wave of prosperity that is sweep
ing over the land and gladding every
! heart.
"Why, SIR" said a prominent mer-
| chant Ia the REGISTER, yesterday,
wheeling never saw anything like it.
We seem to have entered upon the
dawn Of an era of uneXampled prosper
| ity. The demand is greater for every
| thing than the production. Money IL
plenty and collections good. High
prices and high labor rules the day.
| Everybody has more money and seems
to spend il with greater freedom. The
outlook is brilliant, sir, brilliant
"What would You assign rs the
cause?"
Natural reasons, sir, and good crops.
The causes that have depressed business
for So long did it under protest. 1t was
| like bending down 4 rod OF steel-when
the pressure was removed the rod
springs back farther than ever. And all
this, too, in Wheeling, when the riveris
all but unnavigable."
This is a fair sample of the feeling en-
countered by the REGISTER, yesterday,
i'm a tour among the wholesale dealers
along Nam street No matter the
branch Of trade, the boom was the same.
HARDWARE.
"Our business" said hardware man,
"is better than it has been since the
war, and will continue to increase.
Prices are steadily advancing, man
uiacturcd iron goods more than the
others, but even wooden ware AMI
the like. Why, some articles have al
yanced 90 per cent. and are hard to get
at that. We are So confident the maxi
mum price has not been reached yet
that We are anticipating in orders. \
GREAT norton ui our stock has been laid
i'm for the spring trade and was bought
i'm June. The hardware business is
booming, 10 certainty, and nothing is
more gratifying than the general feeling
of confidence among all.
TOBACCO.
$500. L., To-, 1,.,, ,1;,l,tl,s
injured by fears OF falling oil in the
crop, but these fears have been almost
entirely removed and better feeling
exists. Sales are on the increase and a
Gradual improvement in business is mo-
tceablc. The average trade has been
better than last year, and still better is
hoped and expected.
DRUGS.
The drug trade is better than at any
time i'm the past ten years and great
mprOvcmcnt over last year. The
average increase ut the houses we visit
eel was about - per cent. Their manu-
featured goods, like all others, have an
upward tendency in price rs far rs ma
tive goods are concerned. Imported
articles are about even. Manufactured
goods are difficult to procure and orders
are being sent in in advance. The out
look is quite fattcring and Il rise in the
river is anXiously looked for.
GROCERIES.
The grocery boom began ahead Of
most of the others, and during the past
month does not show any decided in
crease. Trade is unusually good, how
ever. and change in the river would
work wonders \ good proportion of
Wheeling traffic is among the river
towns. and the present stage OF water Is
much oi hndcrance. \ general all
vance of price, say - per cent, has
taken place, and coffee and some other
staples are still on the increase. The
total business Oi the year ending OCto-
Der first shows good increase over the
last and better is expected. Customers
report easier collections, and the feel
ing of confidence and hope is surely
making its way.
Fancy groceries are enjoying boom
ing trade, and dealers faces are weathed
in smiles. They report business as
better than for years, and for the last
wear as better by 80 per cent. than the
preceding one. 4 universal increase of
prices, about 5 per cent, is noticeable,
especially in canned and preserved
goods.
HATS AND CAPS.
Never was better" is the verdict OF
the dealers, in relation TO the head gear
traffic. "Therc is a general upward ten
dency in prices, but nothing specially
marked. This years business will show
an increase of at least - per cent over
that of last, at this rate, and if trade con-
tinues to improve will reach so per cent.
We cannot anticipate orders on account
of the freaks Of fashion and style, cX-
ccpt in cheap goods, and OF these we
have laid in 4 good stock.
ROOTS AND SHOES.
The manufacture of boots and shoes
is larger than il has ever been in the his
tory Of the trade, and dealers in this city
find difficulty in getting what they wish.
Some Eastern firms, at the present up
ward tendency OF prices, which is over
70 per cent, refuse to receive advance in
orders II it were otherwise there would
he a large profit for jobbers, as the
larger portion OF this stock is staple.
| Our boot and shoe men report trade
brisk, and the market exceedingly
healthy. One firm estimates this years
increase of business over last at about
- per cent. Others vary from ten to
10 per cent,
DRY GOODS AND NOTIONS.
The dry goods trade is fine and during
the summer has been almost phenOme-
nal. The river trade is an important
. / -, Nhnaltn.,'. and
this branch is particularly affected by
the present low water. Jobbers are
ekeing it out, however, in flatboats.
Having begun so early, there is, per-
haps, no increase of the boom. Wooden
goods are advancing and cotton is about
stationary. As most OF the trade here
had full stocks at the beginning, a fair
profit has been realized. An increase of
% per cent over last years business is
reported.
Notions are also booming and prices
have, i'm certain articles, advanced 20
per cent. This is as might he expected,
they being entirely manufactured stock.
CoEDAGE, &C.
There is no general boom in corlage,
though dealers look smiling and happy
over the increase from last year. An
advance of about u per cent. has taken
place i'm this line Of goods.
Altogether it is comforting and assur-
ing 10 observe the general booming
along the line oi Main street, and life
wears brighter aspect after a trip
through the greatest vein for our com
mercial blood.
You could scarcely believe it, hut it is
fact, that I.arkin is selling good Dress
Goods in Plaids, plain and mixed, at )
| cents per yard.