Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-15
BUSINESS PICKING UP.
MERCHANTS LOOKING FOR A
LIVELY FALL TRADE.

The Crop Prospects Favorable and In
terror Orders Coming In Briskly-
Railroads and Steamship Lines Get
ting Ready for the Opening OF tho
Season.
Trade OF almost every kind is improy-
ing, the business men say. There is no
boom, but it is gradually picking up, and
the country is recovering from the de-
preston Of the past two years. This is
true OF local trade as well as Of the coun-
try at large. Manufacturers st the North
say that they are receiving more orders
for dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes
than they did last year at this time.
The first week in July is fixed as the
period when the favorable reaction began.
There seems 10 be quiet undertone Of
confidence in the situation and belief
that legitimate business Will steadily
thrive during the autumn. In the West,
where the dry goods market has been par
tioularly dull, an encouraging change is
noted. Orders for clothing, groceries,
hardware and lumber are larger and
more numerous than for some time.
The 6Fop prospects IN the South are so
favorable that the improvement is felt
quite as much here as elsewhere. South
market and those handling dry goods are
buying freely.
A prominent provision dealer on the
Bay gave 1t as his opinion yesterday that
much better trade may be expected this
fall than last, not only in his own line,
but in others. 1.-The crops promise we'll"
he remarked, ''and while cotton and rice
may be low, l think the planters will buy
more merchandise than they have done
10 nj
good sign is the fact that they seem
20 have been unusually ecOnOm-
ical this year and did not
contract debts. Farm products are low,
but labor is also cheap and when the
crops are sold and the money received
this fall, the planter Will ind that be has
more left after paying expenses than he
had last year or the year before"
This week has really seen heavy local
trade in merchandise Orders are being
filed now. and interior dealers are getting
in some lines of early stock. Savannah
houses are receiving domestic goods and
windows will soon be respondent with
fall novelties.
Commercial men report a fair trade gen.
orally. One who has been travelling the
South for fifteen years, and now repre-
sents large fancy goods firm, Mr.. B,
Tausic, OF New York, stated Yesterday
that he has found trade very good in the
South this year. In 1888 II was better than
1854, but this season it is much better
than 1t was two years ago. Fancy goods
are the last things that buyer, purchases.
When money is scarce the fancy goods
market is about the dullest. The people
always buy the necessaries of life before
they do the luXuries. This branch OF
trade, then, can be taken rs a sort of in
dictator of the others. When business in
this branch is active, others are pretty
apt to be.
The railroads have hardly felt the
change for the better as yet. The volume
of merchandise moving out, however.
is sufficient TO balance the snort
manitests coming in. The dull season
with them, though, is almost at an end.
There Will soon be car load of cotton
every day for each bale that is coming In
now.
The steamships have enjoyed a fRir
trade In vegetables and watermelOns, but
these are getting out Of season, and will
be replaced by cotton.
The wharves are beginning TO feel the
approach OF the busy season. and although
there are yet two weeks TO come before
1t will be fully open, there
are evidences everywhere that
ii il not far distant. The quiet dullness
OF Bay street will soon give place to the
rattle Of drays and the wharves will be
lined with vessels, which are already be-
ginning TO arrive. The prospects are
seemingly brighter and more encouraging
than they have been for wears.