The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-02-17
BUSINESS NOTES
In Rernrd TO Wheslin,rr. rrn.ls.

A review oitrade for any one year, or
for series Of years, at any considerable
commercial point, generally affords stat
istics Of considerable interest to the read.
ing public. In large cities, or in any city
where there is established Board Of Trade
or Commercial Exchange Of any sort, such
data as are needed to give both an interest
ing and intelligent statement of business,
by comparison OF one year with another,
are easily obtainable. Unfortunately for
such purpose, nothing can be obtained in
the city OF Wheeling. Once upon a time,
years ago. there was a feeble attempt to
establish Board OF Tradein this city, but
from lack ofinterest'o some other cause
satisfactory tot the mercantile and manuiac.
turing community, after avery brief ex-
istenee, the organization was abandoned.
There Is no place, therefore, where bust
ness is conducted more absolutely upon
the individual principle than In the city Of
Wheeling. With the exception of the
great nail interest there Is not, that VIC are
aware Of, any thing like combination
looking towards fixity or steadiness Of the
markets. Every individual and firm does
business upon the motto: "Let every tub
stand on its own bottom" In some lines
Of business there is excessive competition
and consequent cutting OF prices, the net
result ofwhich is the narrowest possible
margin Of profit, obtained only on some
goods by positive sacrifice Of all profit
on others, and generally leaving the
merchant in doubt as to the. result Of his
years operations until his books are made
up and his accounts settled. So close has
been the business with most houses
that comparatively small percentage
OF bad claims puts the balance OF the
profit and loss account on the loss side.
This feature is especially prominent in the
GROCERY TRADE.
After very careful interview with a
large number Of grocery merchants, we
find that the business OF the year 1878, in
the aggregate, has been very large, much
larger than 1877, or for several years pre-.
ceding, while the profits have been small
er, owing partly To- the constant decline
| in some articles and unsteadiness Of prices
| in others, and partly to the fact before
stated, that the margin OF profit has been
40 small that It has required the utmost
care to make one hand wash the other,
Sugars, for Instance, are still declining,
there being drop Of as much as one and
half cents per pound in some grades in
the last days OF January. Other articles
seem 10 have touched bottom, temporarily
at least, and incline towards stiffness, but
how long they will manitestthis tendency
| Is lust what the merchants would like To
know. As a usual thing merchants have
been able TO rely upon the steadlness oil
prices between seasons; that Is to say, the
prices OF goods prevalent at the laying ir
Of the winter stock would hold without
lapnreciable change until the opening o
the spring trade. This rule did not holt
good last year, but on Tho other hand !
degree OF uncertainty has prevailed L
such an extent as to invest business witt
much OF the character OF speculation
There has been no absolute dependence
upon ruling figures. n E...,. T.,
Attic. present time, We are Informed
Wheeling is the cheapest grocery marke
In the whole country. OF eonrse anon
so many dealers there are different 0pip
ions as TO whether the extreme closenes
Is the legitimate result OF the general cor
dttion OF trade throughout the country, o
whether II Is not in a large measure due
the peculiar methods which characteriz
our local trade. IN the line OF -
ESQ., fAScY GROCERIES.
We find better feeling In regard 10 III
results Of tho years trade. Several Of III
larger dealers are In possession Of special
lies which command large trade 9
reasonably remuneratiYe prices, !, Sucl
parties take q more cheerful view Of Til
condition OF trade, while admitting tina
ne profits, considering the amount Z
business done, have not been what the
had a right to expect. In all lines OF til
grocery trade there IL, however, o teelin
ofuncertainty as to the future. There
a large river business done by many I
+, our Srocers, and their trade during II
month OF January was adversely afecte
I by the Ice embargo, theremoval Of whicl
however, has given considerable life TO Il
trade, and sales have been quite brisk
Y lar In the month OF February.
4. There Is q wide range OF opinion In
lationr to the financial condition Of Gu
q toners, based on the facility OF
= y COLLECTIONS,
q Some fell us that collections have be-
nnusnally satisfactory, that customer ha