The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-02-12
FINANCE AND MINING.
A Satisfactory Week Among
the Merchants.
TIE RAILWAY FREIGHT WAR.
Real Estate and is BOomers-Trade
in the East-news From
Many Mines.

Many Mines.
Business during tue week was fair-a
slight improvement being noticed in
various lines OF trade, and the general
hopeful feeling continues. Compared
with year ago, the present volume OF
business is satisfactory, and if the pres
ent fine weather continues, the spring
weather will be upon US sooner than
we have been III tho habit of looking for
it.
Shipments OF potatoes to the eastern
markets have again been resured on a
small scale-the weather, as yet, being
TOO uncerr ain to guarantee q satisfac-
tory result. Five carloads were pur-
chased by Kansas merchant. yesler-
day, 70. DISTRIBUTION ut different points
| IN the Stat. The uubers we packed
in refrige: ator cars, and eacu supplied
with stove which will be used III case
of emergencies.
The local stock narKet is almost a
thing of the past. The curbstone
brokers bsv- desc ted their first love
! for the. at pres Mt more attractive anu
lucrative occupation of real estst-
agent SO far as could be lie rned yes
| terday, there were 10 stock transac-
! tons during the weeR.
Speaking of real estate, the boom in
creaseS. Large tracts of land change
hands daily, but the dealers are very
reIicent, ard facts are hard to obtain.
Some OF the prices quoted are fabulous
in the extreme, put when approached
on the subject. the dealers will
neither affirm nor deny. A roundup
of the real estate firms now located in
this city Will probably show at least
Seventy-lve, two-thfrdS of whom have
sprung into existence during the last
three months. Among be new corners
are many veterans III that line of busi-
ness, who have had extensive expe-
rience east and west, and they are all
saQguine as to the result of their labors.
There Is one great complaint among
them al, and that is the figure at which
Main Street property is held, and all
agree that there can be but one result
unless the prices fall-that business will
seek other streets. Then, again, there
comes the complaint that a great
portion of the property on
the street is owned by per-
sons who will not improve it
themselves; neither will they sell to
those who would buv it for that pur-
pose. The re- uit is that the shantles re.
main, aId uerSOns VINO desire aces
for the erection of good substantial
buildings look elsewhere for sites.
here appears to be strong effort
made to boom Second South Street.
west; the building of the Cullen Hotel
has done much to bring that street into
prominence, and the amount of traffir
with year ago, is remarkable. The
Ems same street, noted previously
The HERALD, also point moral to tn
Main Street property owner that he wi
do well to heed. There is scarce a dai
that a new real estate firm do $
not spring into existen ;e, and quite
lars | ror ortion of these are being ru
Oh the broad guage plan. Among the
latest innovations in this line is the
converting of the building once ownsd
by Madam Flint into a Real Esta e
Palace. Houses are in active demand,
and rents are considerably higher than
4 year ago. 1t would appear that all
eyes are turned in this direction.
Residents here, who have not heard
rom their native towns and States for
many years, are daily in receipt of
letters from old acquaintance asking
for information in regard to the sdyau-
tages Utah in general and Salt LAKE in
particular affords. A great many of
these let ers ale referred to the
Chamber of Commerce, the secretary
of which is always ready to furnish
whatever information he may have.
fine newspaper offices are besleged W tn
inquiries of a like character. From
L IS Angeles comes private letter, s ly
ing that notwithstanding the excite
ment at that place and other Southern
California towns, great many people
are talking Salt Lake, and are not slow
in saying that our advantages are more
than equal to any seen in that section;
and a big Influx of people from the
west may be loo ed for this spring.
There is not little apprehension in
business circles over the present freight
rate war now being waged. Advises
from the east are to the effect that the
war is likely to be a long and desperate
one. No overtur.s for a settlement
have yet been made, and it would be
worse than useless TO make any at the
present time. Rates are being slashed
in q reckless manner. and under the
operations of be interstate commerce
law the night must end in the democrat
izaton of NIL rates. and must involve
me north as we'll as the W st and
southwest. The fight was started by
the Chicago, Milwaukee IL st. P .ul, hut
all competing lines are now in, and
where the end is no man foreseeth.
The history of the fight is, briefly,
IS follows: The Chicego. Burlington Il
Quincy has been held responsible for
the maintenance of rates by the Chi
cago, Burlington d Northern. The lat
ter road did not join the association,
but the officers OF the former under
took 20 be responsible for 1t. On that