Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-09-17
BUSINESS PROSPECTS.
Encouraging Reports From the
Trade Centres.
POSSIBLE FAILURE OF THE CORN csoP.
Sagacious and Quick 'Witted Dealers See
ing Proofs Of a Change f.r
the Better Prepare
for Il.

NEW YORK, September l6.-The Journal
Of Commerce says: There is q much bet.
ter feeling in business circles, and the gen.
eral trade has greatly improved. Two
weeks ago it was useless to offer any article
of merchandise at discount from the reg
ulsr price for the sake Of securing q large
order. There was no backbone among the
buyers. They would purchase for imms-
diate wants, or TO fill present requirements,
but the sales were chiefly in small lots,
and no amount Of engineering could load q
good customer with a heavy bill There
was no life or elasticity in the market. 1t
has been very discouraging to those accus.
toned TO large transactions to meet a de-
mand wholly without enthusiasm, and
which could not be stirred to any excite
ment, no matter what ministry was EN-.
ployed. When buyers take only what they
must have, and will not goa step beyond
for any consideration that may be offered,
trade drags and every one is depressed.
The change is very decided, although it
is thus far more noticeable in the state OF
feeling than in the actual movements Of
goods. The sagacious and quick witted
have been prompt TO see that the tide is
turning, AID have quietly put out their
contracts for supp les that are sure 10 be
needed. On all sides Of us We hear the
sounds of returning industry, and the fall
trade is opening with uneX Xpected yigCr
There Is not the promise OF long season,
and those who are carried oil their feet by
the quickened demand, and are preparing
to hold or for higher prices, and to dictate
terms, and 10 put on the airs which were
tolerated when there we're more buyers
than goods, will find their surplus on hand
TOO large wnen the rush is over, and wish
they had not been quite SO sanguine.
There is q very moderate stock OF goods
of all kinds in the hands OF Distributors.
Prices have been dropping, consumers have
seemed 10 have no large wants, and there
has been nothing TO encourage the gather
ing of large assortments. The great bulk OF
the supply has been left with manufac.
luIeTs, or in first hands. This unwonted
accumulation has done more 10 produce
the general depression than any amount Of
ordinary hard times" where the glut was
at the other end of the line.
New YORK, September 1.-THE Finan'
cial Chronicle says: The past week has
been conspicuous for the scare with re-
gard 10 the corn crop. the early reports az
irming that the yield would be very small.
such a result, if assured, would be serious
in its influence upon the trade OF the whole
country, but the immediate effect OF the
statement was particularly important
among spectators, so important in fact
that highly cOlored exaggerations were Tor
two or three days quite prevalent at the
principal breadstutfS centers and on Wall
Street. Harm to il affects either directly
or indirectly every industry, and hencs
not only these frost rumors,
but also the September re-
port OF the Agricultural Department is
fued this week, have attracted more than
usual attention. The latter, in fact, helps
us in some degree to measure the former
and for that reason we have brought to-
gether the September figures for five years
and the acreage and pro iUcti0n during the
same time. BY these figures the Chronicle
shows that the crop in the vary large cora
producing States OF Ohio, Ind ana, Illinois
and Iowa was on September ! in condl'
ton very decidedly above the condition at
the same time Of last year. Illinois in par
ticular. and that Illinois and Indiana were
also then even above the condition OF 1850
In fact, these Western States taken togeth.
er-if we omit Michigan, Wisconsin aud
Minnesota, which are very small corn pro-
ducers, as we shall presently see-were in a
more promising state on the lst OF this
month than they were at the same date OF
the productive seasons OF either 1850 or
1890