St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-12
COMMERCIAL.


ments'' for the week past would indicate that
business generally had advanced considerably
since the last review of the cty's trade appeared
in these columns. Railroad returns show that
1888 cars were received, against 1880 the pre-
vious week, being 343 more. The shipments
were 1885, or 1853 in excess of the previous week.
The receipts exceeded the shipments by 1873
cars, which would be covered by wood and coal
alone. The number of cars received, exclusive of
cattle, grain, iron, machinery, ETC., was Gil,
against $40 the previous week, being Al cars more
than the week ending March s. The shipments,
however, did not exceed the previous week by
more than cars, and the difference between this
and the 1e6 cars excess of gross ship
ments, is attributable to produce. 1t will be
seen then that the actual shipments of merchan-
disc proper did not greatly exceed the shipments
of the previous week, consequently the improve
ment in business was not so marked as would be
inferred by the busy appearance of some OF the
jobbing houses, without it be that a greater
amount of goods was shipped by express or in
small packages. To fully understand the position
it will be necessary to glance back at the week
ending with March 5, when the shipments of
merchandise by car loads exceeded the week be
fore by I4O cars, and the present closing week
has not been a very dull one. 1t will not be sur
prising, however, to state that the job
bers in dry goods have not been nearly
so busy during the past week, and of course the
weather as usual has to bear the blame. 1t has
become quite chronic to lay poor days business
upon the broad back of the weather, but in this
instance the burden is a legitimate one for moth
ing influences the dry goods business like the
ordi hos haaO lint 10
the last few days for the opening of spring trade.
There has indeed been quite perceptible falling
off in this branch of the citys trade. The mar
ket however is firm with an upward tendency, but
no disposition is shown to advance prices without
a shortness of stock compells it. Busin ess in
drugs has been very brisk for the week past,
and there are several slight changes in quotations.
Quinine and morphia have declined 5Oc@55c, the
rise having been caused by the destruction by fire
of considerable of the stock in hand. Iodine has
advanced 10c. Quicksilver and all murcurial
products are a shade higher as will be seen by
referring to the table of quotations.
The hardware trade has very materially i'm
proved the past week especially in shelf goods
The granite ironware manufacturers have
changed their price list and the discount in future
will be 25 per cent in place of 90 which will make
OTuIudTy dTlIClSs u llItlc CuedpCT. DdTUeu WIG
has advanced NC, making painted SIC and gal
vanized SIC per pound. Nails are little frmer
but there is no change in the attitude of screws
The iron and steel trade has also felt slightly the
general improvement in business. Prices
are firm and seem to look
toward higher figures. There is nothing
to add to what was stated regarding
the boot and shoe trade last week; the weather
retarded the development of spring trade, and
business remains very quiet with prices I'm
changed and steady Leather is frmer, and
looks as though an advance may be looked for
in the near future, as tanners talking of high
er prices. Business for the
past week has increased to some
extent The wholesale grocers have had their
usual week of large orders and good trade
People must eat and drink whatever may be the
state of the weather and a certain amount of
crackers and cheese and tea
and coffee will be consumed whether
it freezes or thaws, SHOWS or rains. Mentioning
cheese suggests that that commodity has adj
vanced Rc in price and is likely still
to advance. Crackers are also NC higher.
Sugar and syrups are low but little frmer
Dried apples are firm and likely to advance. COT
fee is firm and tea is higher and since the gam
bling spirit has seized upon these articles to make
them subservient to the specializing mania, there
is no telling how the market will go; manipulate
ed and cornered by the option gambler as they
will doubtless be at times, crops will have little
to do with regulating the market. The lumber
trade has very greatly improved during the week,
the shipments from the yards here were 189 cars
against 101 for the previous week. making an in
crease of 81 cars, but this is not a 1.-THE of the
real business done, as most of the lumber is
shipped direct from outlying mills. The!heayy
sales of the past week have had tendency to
settle values, and give more tone and firmness to
the market The question of freight is not alto
gether satisfactorily settled yet. The price
charged from st. Paul is still 15c, and private
terms are still given to Chicago firms. Among the
heavy sales made last week, is that of
the G. N. Nelson Lumber company to the Chi
cago Lumber company of over $4,000, 900 feet of
dry lumber in one lot. This lumber will 90 to
several yards at Missouri river points, largely
to their new yard at East Atchison, and be dis
braska. This is the largest sale of dry lumber
ever made in the northwest. The individuals
participating in the negotiations on behalf of
their respective companies were, M. M. Darr
vice president of the C. N. Nelson Lumber com
pany, NJ. F. Green, president of the Chicago
Lumber company, Chicago, and S. II. Full
lerton, director and manager at
Atchson, Kansas, of the same company