Omaha daily bee., 1888-11-04
THE CONDITION OF TRADE,
No Appreciate Change in the FL
nancial Situation. -.
MONEY STILL IN GOOD SUPPLY
Politics An Absorbing Topic Among
Business Men-CoIiections Only
Fair-An Agreement on Com
tract Goods-SOte
MONEY STILL IN GOOD SUPPL
The Money Supply.

Ao
There has been no appreciable change in
financial affairs the past week. Bankers re-
port money quite plentiful and one or two OF
the heaviest institutions have a surplus idle
larger than they wish, and rates are easier
than is usual at this season. Ten per cent is,
as a rule, demanded, though some few gilt
edged customers are taken care of at s per
cent. Exchange is steady at 81 per $1,000
premium.
General trade is as good as can be expected.
Politics are uppermost in mems minds, and
as the 9th Of November approaches even the
most staid and conservative business men
are irresistibly drawn into the vortex and
for the nonce buying and selling are put in
allegiance.
Collections hold up fairly, but not wholly
satisfactory. However, no uneasiness is felt
as. the country is believed to be in excellent
condition and able to meet its Liabilities in
full when the crops OF the year are mar
keted.
Several of our jobbers visited Kansas City
this week to confer with the merchants OF
that city, 81. Joseph, Atchison, and other
Missouri river points as to the propriety OF
sustaining prices on contract goods that
is, goods which are sold under a contract be-
tween the manufacturer and dealer requiring
prices to be maintained at list. These
prices have been generally cut by
statesmen TO the detriment OF their
principals and with no particular
DeneHtt TO anybody. III ~ unueTSuOOu tndU al
agreement was reached by which this prac-
tee will be effectually stopped. Prices of
staples are steady at quotations and no ma
terial changes are noted except on sugars,
which are over. Sugar is slow OF sale and
prices are not very strong. The Louisiana
crop is gathered and il will not be less than
1900, 600 tons. Not a whisper has been heard
about the electrically refined sugar scheme.
The trade are beginning to lose their interest
In it, as much has been promised and little
p,Nl 10 uaap Tho typrk nf hnlli1nO the higr
Philadelphia refinery is going on. As indl-
cative that the business is to be pushed un-
der the immediate supervision of the over,
. Mr.. Spreckles is building q home in Phila-
delphia.
Coffee is fairly active and prices are strong,
the market being completely controlled by
spectators. The supply OF Java, light as 1T
was two weeks ago, is still lighter. NO
stocks can arrive for u couple Of months yet,
and until the latter part of December the
market must be firm. Mild coffees are firm
in sympathy.
The California raisin trade is in a some
what excited condition. The Lion brand Of
California London raisins has been advanced
to 81. 10 per box and a further raise to $2.25 is
promised. A reliable authority says that all
unsold California raisins arc principally in
the hands of George w. Meade Il Co. and
the .Johnson-L Locke Mercantile company.
The latter firm are said to be the largest
holders Of unsold raisins, their stocks aggre-
eating some -, 900 to $1,000 boxes, The stu
alton as it now stands is that most OF the
crop is out of growers hands, most commits
sion houses are sold out, and the advantage
of the present advance is being reaped by
two houses on the Pacific coast.
Mackerel are scarce and high. The Boston
Commercial Bulletin states that nothing of
consequence has been done by the mackerel
fleet for the last week. The weirs on the cape
were pretty well filled by the small mackerel,
but no fish to speak of were caught by %seiners,
and the landings foot up only about ! 900 bbls.
r-.-I. .,,@ a. la,,t $40, a-l Ahn aDan1~
will soon he closed. The total catch to date
is 30, 140 bbls, against Il, 5l4 bbls for the same
period last year, IS, IA bbls in 1856, 81, SIS
bbls in 1855 and All OSS bbls the like period in
1884.
Rice is rather active at the last advance.
Dan Talmage's Sons 81 Co. write from New
Orleans as follows: 1.-THE damage to our
crop by the August storms is becoming more
and more apparent, not only in curtailment
of rough rice, but IN the yield at the pound
ers, which shows q larger percentage of loss
than usual. The fine promise of the midsum'
mcr has entirely disappeared, and 1T is ques.
tiOnable whether the crop Will equal that OF
last year. Planters and all Interested in the
crop are beginning to realize the situation,
and the market is hardening and every evi.
dence favorable for a market advance, es
pecially on lower and medium grades"
A Pennsylvania railroad official is reported
as saying that it is almost impossible tC
place new orders for locomotives at the
present time, all the works being full, ano
the railroads OF the country everywhere
wanting more cars. Largely increased earn
ings are looked for when once the corn croI
is fairly in motion.
The American Banker states that the
counterfeit five-dollar United States silver
certificates, which made their appearance
not long since in the northern and eastern
cities, are gradually working their way
south.
A trade journal calls attention to the fact
that less than the usual autumn movement o.
white pine lumberi is going forward from lake
and river markets to Missouri river points
. Middle river shippers are finding that Arkan
sas dimension especially is supplanting whit,
pine and Norway along the Missouri rive
from Kansas City to Omaha. This means
corresponding distribution Of Kansas pint
throughout Kansas and Nebraska. In thu
future lumber trade Of the west the Mich
gan and Wisconsin operators will have Il
leave out much Of the trans Missouri terri
tory, as it is inevitable that dimension ant
much inch stock will be supplied thence iron
southern resources.