The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-03-20
TRADE OUTLOOK.
Opinions of Leading Mer-
chants Regarding the Bus
mess Prospects.

mess Prospects.
Thinking that the views OF mer.
chants in regard to the probabilities
for the seasons trade would be Of
interest to the public, represent
alive of THE HERALD called on
several merchants yesterday and
CLEANED the following interesting
opinions and suggestions:
NIB. h. S. ELDREDGE,
Superintendent of z. G. M. l., said
that any prediction be could make
must only be counted as guess.
work. The cessation of railroad
building, and the shutting down of
the mines at Phoebe, Silver Reef,
and other camps which recently
afforded considerable markets for
our agricultural products, have to-
gether caused a scarcity Of ready
money. The country is full of
grain and there Ia no market for it,.
The recent low rates of freight from
the east brought enormous quanti-
ties Of corn and oats here, reducing
the price OF grain, and taking away
almost entirely our local market for
feed. But the low rates only
worked one way; they made
it possible for grain to come
in, but gave it no in
ducement to 60 out. This state
of affairs will tend to restrict and
diminish trade, because the farmers
must hold their produce instead of
turning 1T into cash. The foreign
supply is said to be about exhausted,
but for four months it stocked the
market.
The demand for goods is as strong
as usual at this time of the year,
but the disposition is to pay in small
and irregular inStallments.
The Territory Is importing from
5000 to 100000 worth of hog
products-lard, bacon, hams, ETC.
per annum. Now instead of trying
to export their grain the farmers
would do much better to produce
the hogs here. The price of grain
here would enable them to raise
pork at eight cents per pound, while
the average cost price ut wholesale
Of the imported article during the
last two years has been from ten to
twelve and half cents per pound.
The farmer must sell fifteen bushels
of wheat to buy 100 pounds of ba.
con, while he should be able to pro-
duce the bacon for about One-half
the quantity of wheat In his own
barn-yard. There is a great deal of
talk in a general way about Boards
of Trade &c, but the revolution in
trade which is needed must begin
by attention to the small details,
su h as tanning the hides, manu-
factuFe of boots and Shoes,
clothing, etc. The institution is In.
terested in importation, but we
would prefer to have the people pro.
duce their necesearies. They would
then have more money to spend for
luxuries. In conclusion, Mr.. Ell
Dire ige said that all the branches oi
Il. G. M. I. are doing well, and tina
the business Of the maip house il
this city is doing considerably nor,
business than usual at this season O.
the year. The stock of the institu
ton now on hand foots up to abou
a million and quarter.
THE HERALD man then called OF
| MIR. SPENCER CLAwsoN,
wholesale dealer in dry goods ant
notions. He said that business il
very good In his line, and that tn,
present depression In trade may b,
| ascribed chiefly to the fact that tn,
roads all over the Territory are vir
tually impossible. This tends t.
raife the price of daily necessities
and prevents the purchase Of any
thing else. He thought, however
that there would be q steady sprin
| trade, rather in excess Of last year
| Mr.. CCNNINGTON,
Of the Elephant Store, said that th
business outlook is good. Tn
mines promise well, even a bette
yield than last year. The jobbip
trade, especially to the north,
crippled by the exhorbitant rate
demanded by the Union Pacific.
costs as much to ship goods iror
Salt Lake to Wood River and Butt,
as from Chicago. But on thu who
there Is nothing to complain Of.
Il MR.. JOHN wINDER,
/ OF the firm Of P. w. Madssn
Co., dealers in stoves and tir
ware said that business was som,
what duller than usual at this Sc;
son Of the year, but thought IL
decrease was caused principally
the fact that the roads ara so bs
that people cannot travel. TT
freight war induced a good man
merchants 70 overstOck. In IL
long run it would have been belt
8 TO have ordered gods as they we
wanted. There are many OF Il
laboring class cut of employmel
now that the railroads and min,
are at q stapdstill. which fsc5, t.
gether with the depression Of ii
grain market, accounts for Il
scarcity Of money and the dullne
s OF trade. s aag@ r
NIB. WIN. JENNINGS
/ Said that the business of the Teri
tnrr boI boo,, rar- oh a,E ~,