St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-08
Local Merchants Radiant
Smiles Are Due to April
Sunshine.
Balmy Weather Quickens the
Circulation in the City's
Commercial Veins.
Dealers Without Exception
Predict a Big Rush Of
Spring Business.
The Lateness of the Season
Will Help Along the
Boom.

None have keeDer appreciation of
the severity of the winter, which it ap-
pears has done lingering in the lap of
this spring, than the merchants of ST.
Paul. They have had a good deal to
worry over since the first snowfall last
autumn, and April showers which, more
than anything else, mean warm weather,
cannot come too soon for them. The
warm weather of the past week has
quickened the circulation in the COM
merc:al veins of the city, and merchants
generally are in good humOr.
A representative of the GLOBE yes
terday made a tour of inquiry among
business men to learn what they had to
say regarding the
OUTLOOK FOR SPRING TRADE.
Upwards of score were questioned
on the subject, and the following ey-
pressions may be taken as the CONNER
cial sentiment of st. Paul as to the pros
pect for this season and year:
BENJAMIN L. GOODKIND,
of Mannheimer Bros, and buyer for
the firm, said: Business is very late in
opening this spring. Still l consider the
outlook to be exceptionally good for an
increase in trade, compared with last
spring. st. Paul is not by any means
the only city where the usual Sunday
dress parade was omitted this year. In
New York, whence l have just come,
society makes use of the Sunday pre-
ceding Easter to show a good many
new gowns and bonnets; to show peO-
pie what will be in good form to wear
after the pail of the Lenten season is
lifted. This is followed, of course, by
the regular Easter show, which includes
everything new in wearing apparel and
headgear. Last Sunday week New
Workers were compelled to wear the
habiliments of winter; it was so cold and
stormy. This state of affairs in fash
ions metropolis could not but have a
depressing effect upon Western buyers,
and all of them, including myself, were
unusually conservative in placing
orders. This was done despite advices
from my house to the effect that sales
were above the average for March.
However, now that all indications point
to warm weather, and lots of it, supple
ementary orders are being sent in, and,
our sales for the past week, show. a
marked increase over the correspond
ing period last year. Customers, gen.
orally, appear to be so situated that they
can buy largely, and my impression is
that they will. If our spring trade is
not appreciably greater than it was last
year, and my estimate is based on what
we have done since the sun began to
shine with summers warmth, l shall be
both surprised and disappointed. The
people want to dress well, and. having
the money, will naturally follow the
bent Of their inclinatiOnS."
JOSEPH M'KEY,
of the Boston Clothing house, said: 1--WE
look for big business this spring and
some time ago made extensive prepare
lions to supply it. These railroad troub-
les. however, have put US behind con-
siderably, as have the elements. Goods
which were shipped a month ago are
still on the road, and likely to remain
there if there is not cessation of the
strikes. However, with us as with 9th
3ers in the same line, a great portion of
our spring stock was put in quite early,
when we could do nothing but specu-
late as to the probable volume of spring
trade, and take chances of being wrong.
AS result we are in good shape to meet
the demand, and judging by our bust,
ness during the past week our share of
trade this spring will be greater than
ever before. In brief, we are satisfied
with the outlook"
HENRY C. BURBANK.
"Trade this spring is at least three
weeks later than it was in the spring of
1887" Henry G. Burbank, of H. c. Bur-
bank & Co.. said, but everything points
to heavy volume of business and the
outlook for April is very bright, indeed.
During March our greatest difficulty
was to reach our customers on account
of the snow blOckadeS. On several Oc-
casions our travellers, after starting out,
had to abandon their trips and return to
the house. AS consequence there was
slight falling off in the business for
March, but we expect to more than
make it up this month. The elements
that prevented us from reaching our
customers also prevented their
patrons from getting to town
to make purchases. The natural
result of this is that collections are slow.
There has been no increase In the num-
Der of failures; in fact, think there
have been fewer this spring than last,
still the snow impeded the circulation
of money. Our observation leads us to
the belief that people generally are in
good condition to pay promptly, all
have already filled a great portion of
the orders for spring stock and are now
preparing the fall and winter stock, for
which our travellers will start out in
June to solicit orders. There is no
reason to doubt that business generally
will be much better this spring than it
was last year, and there will be rush
the moment people are satisfied that
warm weather has come to stay. In
some lines the rush has begun, and it
will be at the flood in few days."
j. H. DRAWS.
"The outlook for business this spring
is much better than it was last year,"
Mr.. Draws, buyer for YAM, Griggs &
Howes, said. .'Retailers, in anticipa-
tion of rush, are swelling their orders,
not only for staples but for fancy gro
ceIies, and collections are as good as
could be expected, considering the
weather we have had. We expect a
prosperous trade for ourselves and our
customers as well, for people must eat,
whether they dress well or not"
C. d. STRONG.
.sThe elements have been against u.s."
G. d. Strong, of the StrOng-Hackett
rent of business has been considerably
checked thereby, but l look for heavy
sales during April. I have just re-
turned from trip over the Northern
Pacific to and north of jamestown, and
i never before saw so much snow On the
ground. Roads have been blocked for
weeks, and many of them are still inn
apassable. Country merchants have had
nothing to do, because their customers
could not get to them, and the effect on
the, wholesale trade has been to make it
very backward. All that the people
want is chance to get out;