St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-09
COMMERCIAL

on Friday practically took TWO business uays ouC
of last week and this of itself would be sufficient
to make large difference in the amount OF
business for the week. Holiday times too are
always dull days with the wholesale houses and
besides these reasons for limited transactions we
have advanced one week more towads the heart
or the dullest season of the year. 1t will not
surprise anyone, therefore, that the gross amount
of goods handled at this point is very greatly
less compared with the week ending July 2.
failrood returns show 1,467 car loads shipped
into the city from the 2n to the Sth, inclusive,
while the receipts for the previous week were
1859 cars, being falling of of 392 cars
The shipments for the same time were 945 cars,
against 1888 Of the previous week or 143 cars
less for the week just past, but the receipts by
boat the past week were nearly double those OF
the previous week, being 100000 lbs against
$50, 900 lbs for the week ending July 2, but still
the falling Oil both of receipts and shipments IS
very large. A closer analysis however discloses
the fact that the lighter receipts and shipments
of the week under review is owing to a decrease
in the movement of grains and gross goods rather
than in the handling of jobbers goods, and yet
there has been a considerable lessening in these,
the railroad returns showing a decrease of So
cars of ''merchandise'' received and of As
cars shipped, of course the increased carrying
done by water will somewhat reduce
these differences but still very large falling off
in the bulk of mercantile operations is apparent.
Business men have taken advantage Of this an
nual lull to set their houses in order and stock
taking has been the order of the day. Heads of
firms, too, have been able to leave their offices
and counting rooms and warehouses and start
out upon a series of delightful trips through
what must appear to some of them Yeritable
fairy land, where fourishing cities and thriving
villages with intelligent, cultured, well dressed
populations, cultivated farms and luxurious
homesteads have, as it were by magic, been
transformed from the wild prairie. These pleas
ant trips-given their full weight of importance
in the GLoBE-wiIl have bene
fetal effect in mercantile point
of view enabling merchants here to better APP
precate the wants of their cores ondents,
Grocery houses have done good week bust
ness in short orders, the cautious country mer-
chant believing III the policy of little and often
rather than running the risk by large orders over
reaching the market. And the continued down
ward tendency Of the market has proved to them
that this policy was a good one. Not only when
the market is looking downward but even upon a
rising market this same ''iitte and often" plan
is after all not only the safest but the most profit
able-money turned over several times in a
month with small gains is better than large
profits at long dates. The changes in prices car
rent are but few and unimportant, asuwiil
be seen from the tables follow
shoes is only what was expected. and what is us
ual at this time of the year. But manufacturers
are busy turning out goods for the autumn trade,
and 1t will not be many days before these heavier
goods are placed upon the market. The leather
trade has been very quiet during the week, and
continues slow, and Notwithstanding the fact that
the market is very firm jobbers here have marked
down sole. MANUFACTURED iron and steel con
tinucs upon the even tenor OF its way, varying
but little from day to day and week to week.
The business has been dull ever since last De-
cember; of course there is just little doing,
and the books Of the jobbers here will make Us
good cash showing as they did the Fourth Of
July week of last year. This would indicate an
increased volume of trade seeing that prices are
now fifteen and twenty per cent.
lower than they were last year. Prices may be
said to be down ut bottom, and the Pittsburg
mills are entirely out OF the market, preferrng
to close down rather than run ut ruuous prices.
The general hardware trade Is reported good in
all directions. Several changes in prices win be
found TO the advantage of the buyer, notably in
nails, which seem to be getting downto their value.
Carriage bolt manufacturers have again issued
new list, from which there is discount of 40
per cent, which makes prices u little higher
than before. Stamped ware manufacturers have
also issued a new list from which is allowed a
discount of 60 per cent, changing selling prices
but little Business during the week has slight
expected to do in the dog days. There
is nothing of moment to record of drugs; the
marked is quiet, steady and firm. with fairly
active demand. The dry goods houses have got
through stock taking and the result is gratifying
rs the spring and summer goods left over are in
significant, indeed the counters present very
bare and naked appearance and are being cleared
to make room for heavier goods botitting the
autumn-the season par excellence of the north
west. Just before the Fourth there was quite a
lively squirt IN thin summer fabrics, but since
then there has been little or nothing doing in
summer wear Buyers have gone east in search
of novelties and staple fabrics suitable for fall
aud winter. The brilliant prospects for boan-
tiful harvest has sent in unusually large orders
for this early day for grain bags. Orders are
also coming in for Canton hanuels and the heav-
Ter makes of domestics The new table oil cloths
now in the market are unusually attractive from
their unique designs and rich cooring. There
are no changes in prices current and things viii
remain as they are till u.umn stocks are placed
upon the market Lumber and builders mate
rails are quiet and unchanged. The following
bles OF prices current have been carefully re-
vised and corrected up to date: