Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-10
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK.
EFFECT OF THE EARTHQUAKE
ON ALL KINDS OF TRADE.

Country Meroh ants Send in their Orders,
But Do Not Cone to the City-The Eft
feet on the Retail Trade-Merchsnts
Say the Dizziness Last Week was I'm
preceds nted- The Depression Only
Temporary, and the Outlook for a
Heavy Trade Very Encouraging.
Almost every class of business has suf-
feTed IN more or less degree from the
earthquake that disturbed nearly the en-
tire South last week. The uncertainty OF
things has had a depressing effect upon
all branches OF trade. Country mer.
chants have been waiting for the earth
to get settled. Orders have been
coming in all the time but
slowly, and the heavy trade that
was expected has not arrived. The
experience Of the wholesale houses is that
Of the retail houses. Both alike felt the
effect OF the shaking up.
The retail men were pretty blue all last
week. They did just about nothing from
Wednesday until Saturday night, when
there was a little stir. Four DAYS of IN
precedented dizziness began to tell on
business. Houses whose average sales
were anywhere from $500 to $500 took in
from $40 to $50, and some few did even
worse than that. The clerks were on
hand, but there were no customers. The
ladies were afraid to venture out for fear
another shock might come while they
were away from home.
Never saw such dull times as it was
from Wednesday to Saturday." said
Messrs. Altmayer q Co.
Have been in business here for seven
teen years." said Mr.. David Weisbeiu;
"but never saw business as fiat as it
WAS last week."
The dullest week ever experienced"
said Mr.. Dasher, Of /. Dasber & Co.
Did scarcely anything during the past
four days OF The week." said Gray d
OBrien.
These about express the tone of
business throughout the city dur
ing the few days after the earth
quake. Even street hucksterer
was complaining about his business. He
said the people were all too scared to eat.
The merchants were in better humor
yesterday, as business opened up much
brighter on Monday, and has continued
to improve every day since until 1t has
about regained it's usual activity. All
are looking forward to a good season.
None expect anything of a boom, but
think there will be a marked improve
ment over last year, and that there will be
good healthy tone to business during
the whole season.
The Wholesale men look for a heavy
trade as soon as the earthquake depres-
SION disappears. 1t is only temporary,
and by the end of the week the current OF
business Will be restored. ''There is no
possible doubt that after this week there
will be decided change for the better in
trade" said the head of a leading Bay
street firm. "Trade has been depresse d,
1t is true" he went on, "but our sales
this season as a whole have thus lar
been satisfactory, and we look for a good
trade from now on"
HAS the earthquake affected you
muchy" was asked OF the head OF another
large Bay street house.
SIT has affected everything" was the
reply. "Of course, some classes of busi-
ness are depressed worse than others, but
there is no denying that tho effect of the
shaking up has been general. There is
one thing, though, that is not to be over
looked. The effect will not be lasting,
and inside OF a week the current of
trade will be resumed. The general
outlook for trade is good. The crops are
promising, and the indications for
steady, permanent trade are most encour-
aging"
The talk among the large houses is all
OF about the same tenor, and IL is the gen.
eral opinion In trade circles that the out
look is most promising.