St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-01
Erie............. 1875 Canadian Pacific. 3Sh
Erie seconds. -. 55A Mil. & st. Paul.. 69h
Amount of bullion gone in eco, 600. --.l
WEEKLY REVIEW.

| While the aggregate sales of our wholesale
| dealers are fully up to those of last year the
| trade of the city seems to be q little backward,
while no one seems to be able to give very sat
isfactory reason for it. We are gratifed to note
a decided improvement in the dry goods trade
| during the past week. Quite II considerable
number of buyers were in the market and their
| purchases were moderately large. Assortments
selected were general, all kinds of goods receiv-
| ing more or less attention. The order demand
| was active, all sections tributary to the market
being heard from and their contributions were in
the aggregate large. Unless the snowstorm
which has just visited the Northwest should post
pone operations the coming week gives promise
# being the largest of the season. Stocks are
now very complete, the assortments in all lines
shown by our wholesale houses ex-
ceiling in variety and beauty the
efforts of previous seasons. No better evidence
of the growth and development of the Northwest,
not only in population but also in wealth and
culture, can be obtained than by examina-
ton of the stocks now carried by our wholesale
dry goods merchants. Where few years since
only the strictly staple cheap fabrics, suitable to
q poor, frontier demand, were to be seen, now
can be found fine lines of dress fabrics, woolens,
fine hosiery, underwear, shawls, sacks and the
many numerous fancy items dear to every refined
lsdy's heart. The richness and taste
| evinced in the collection of these
stocks rival those of the oldest Eastern cities,
and is the natural outgrowth of the demands
upon our wholesale merchants for a higher grade
| and quality of goods. To our notion it must be
some attraction outside of prices and assort-
ments that wonld cause country merchant to
pass this market in favor Of any further East,
and the fact that the lumber that go further
East every year grows less is the best evidence
that the efforts of our merchants 10 make this
the market of the Northwest are appreciated.
Prices are without any material change. Cheviots
are in very active demand with further advances
in outside brands. The drug market is fairly
active and sales in advance of last
years sales at this time, but collections are lit
tie backward. Bromine and its preparations have
advanced. Quinine is unprecedentedly low.
Glover seed and timothy seed are held at ad-
vanced prices for clean seed. Second quality
can be bought always at cut prices. The sale of
field seed is larger this year than ever before
The sale of sulphur and blue vitriol is also
larger than any other years sales. Messrs.
Noyes Bros. & Cutler report $50 orders in hand
yesterday from Minnesota, Iowa and Western
Dakota, Montana and Washington territory.
Some changes have taken place in quotations of
groceries. Currants, Turkish prunes and Valen-
cia rasins have declined &c. Some grades of
sugar have also declined. Powdered, granulated
and standard have fallen off &c. Business,
though good and fully up to that of the same
season last year, is not quite what
our dealers expected. There seems to be
kind of backwardness, both in sales
and in collections that was not expected. There
is kind of lacking in energy not heretofore ex
perienced. Usually the grocery trade is the
first and strongest 10 take hold of the spring
business The lumber trade still suffers from
the arbitrary rate established southwest of
Omaha by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy and
the Rock Island roads, which virtually shuts the
Northwest ont from all huSipesS in that reoiOn
Though this is not vital blow to the lumber in
terests of the Northwest it is very injurious
one. One year ago nine -tenths of the lumber
shipped from this locality was shipped to points
south and southwest of Omaha. Under
the present arrangement we cannot ship
any at all there. In other respects the lumber
business is active, with good demand for all
descriptions. Hardware is very active, and col
lections fair. Roofing has declined to S11.50.
There is little to add to the statement of the stu
alton as given in review of the general aspect
of the market in our last issue. number of
manufacturers in special lines report that they
are doing satisfactory trade, but the complaint
is quite general that busI ess is light and IN
remunerative. The continuance OF cold weather
has been frequently referred TO as having
pressing effect upon trade but when the season
is fully opened it is expected that business will
show decided improvement. There are not
many important changes to be noted but the
market does not show that frmness which il was
hoped might characterize it at this time. The
spring demand for barbed wire has not yet set in
in this market, although better inquiry is re-
ported from the South and prices frmer.
Boots and shoes are without change, the ac
tivity in this line continuing right along regu-
larly Leather is fairly active with prices I'M
changed. Finished iron and steel is active, and
there is good demand for wagon builders and
wheelwrights' materials. This market is firm
ing ND though no advance has yet been made.