The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-03-08
SPRING TRADE N DRY GOODS.
AGood Opening aud Encouraging Pro-
peets-L.arge sales and Low Prices.


A Good opening aud Encouraging Pros
peets-L.arge sales and Low Prices.
NEw YonE, March 1.-The Spring trade
in dry goods has now fairly opened, and
inquiry to-day among some Of the largest
wholesale houses shows that business Il
brisk and generally satisfactory. One Of
the most extensive firms reports an in
crease oftwenty per centum in their sales
thus far over the Spring trade Of 1873. II
is said that the demand for goods is large
in all parts Of tho country, except in those
parts Of the South which were swept by
the yellow fever last year. In these
districts the dealers are very con-
sentative. as they are apprehen-
siVe OF tho coming summer,
and their customers are poor. These To-
cal troubles, however, have but compare.
lively little effect on the great volume OF
business. The prices Of goods are some
what lower than they were last spring.
The demand, as usual OF late years, Is
chiefly for the cheaper grades, but SER
yiceable goods are now 50 low that the
iabrtCs In request are generally ofsubstan-
tial quality. People are evidently still
paying regard to economy, and there Is
but little call, comparatively, for the ex-
penslve dress goods, silks, yelvets, &c,
which were sold freely in the times when
money was generally parted with mo.u
easily. This change in the character OF
sales, however, does not make much dit.
ference In the gross receipts Of most whole
sale merchants.
The representative of ono large house
said that New York had distributed more
dry goods In the last year than in any
year previous. The idea OF many persons
that this city was losing It's trade because
OF the influences Of great distributing firms
in Chicago and st. Louis was altogether
mistaken. They forget that tho West was
constantly growing, and that thejncreased
business Of these western houses was n
natural consequence OF that growth. Large
retailers In Chicago and st. Louis still came
to New York for their goods, and there
was nothing that he could see TO impair
the prospects Of this city MS a distributing
centre. A good many jobbers here had
failed or been compelled to give up bust.
ness within the last few years, but they
were mostly small dealers and chiefly de-
pendenton what was known Us 'iCross.
trade" This trade, which was done with.
the kpspers Of country stores in this State,
pennsylvania and Ohio, has fallen off
greatly N consequence OF the increase in
railroad facilities. An inhRbitant Of a vii
laage, who wished to buy good dress mate
rails, instead Of going TO the local store, as
formerly, now got on the cars and went 10
the nearest city, perhaps thirty or forty
miles distant, where the opportunities for
selection were infinitely better. The re.
tailers IN up cities and large towns bought
their goods In New York, 30 that the vol
umc OF trade here was not diminished, but
simply flowed in different channels. Many
OF the largest commission houses here
really did a good deal OF jobbing business,
as they q!4 not hesitate 10 make up a case
Of assorted goods for q customer who did
not wlshto take q whole case of a single
kind. n
Attention was also called TO the fact that
it was not extent Of territory but extent OF
population which determined the amount
Of trade, and that this CITY had field OF
immense trade in New York State, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania anu New England
alone. ffoH ,fannat,0 II MAS remarked,
sell many goods on a prairie. Oh must
90. whore the people ar9, and they are
thickest in tho parts Of the county Which
are most accessible to New York;
1t was further said that more retailers
are now visiting this city TO buy goods
than for number OF years before. They
were beginning TO see the necessity OF
coming, 70 The market and making their
own selections, instead Of being depend
ent upon whatever was brought to them
by commercial travellers. The custom Of
employing and RatFaniEing these travellers
was steadily decreasing, as retailers found
that the habit OF buying from them tended
to keep their own trade stagnant, and
made them unable to offer their custo.
mers any attractive variety in styles and
prices,
Tie large expert trade IN American eet.
ton goods was commented on % q crafty.
ing feature OF tho present state OF trade.
They are now sent to all parts Of the
world, finding an especially extensive
market in China and the East Indies,
and making large inroads in the business
at English manufacturers and exporters.
The head Of onp large house, not pre-
Viously quoted, said that he Thought the
general outlook for business was very
favorable and indicated period Of pros.
perity throughout tho country for the
next five or ten years. We had, he said
turned the corner" The bug.bear OF re
sumption had been surrounded without
the slightest furry, the sales for the last
three months showed an increase over the
corresponding period last year, and there
was q healthy trade in all part
of the Union. The South was
poor, it was true, hut its condition
could not DO rpMeliel till It ceased Is
growmoTe cotton than the market required
II tho annual crop could DO limited Il
5000 900 bales for the next ten years the
South would become rich. Allgoods werl
very cheap, and many domestic fabric
were cheaper than ever before, selling fo
hut two-thirds the price which the,
II NanaR aIaN NtaLE