Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-10-23
SUPPLEMENT-.

Oy urm VINO DO more business
early dealers ever ex pected would be pos
sibe to be done. The yearly hat trade
representa- at least $6,O00,O0O. The east
ern portion of Ohio and Michigan, the
territory south to Arkansas and all the
Western States and the region around
Winnipeg depend upon this market for
their hats and caps. The trade
is dependent upon Eastern manu-
facturers for the goods placed
upon the market, some manufacturers
turning out goods for one firm exclusive
~. Each dealer has special brand of
goods of which he makes a speciality, al
though all houses carry full line of all
goods which are needed by retailers.
There has not been much change in the
quality Of goods of late, although there
is great variety of styles constantly be-
ing introduced. The towns aud cities re-
qulre more stiff hats than soft ones,
while in the country soft ones sold.
Silk hats are not as generally worn as
formerly.
The wholesale millinery trade dates
from 1865 and now does a business of
$30,O00,000 annually, which is increasing
at the rate of 10 per cent. The first
houses also carried line of hats and
to the millinery trade. The largest houses
now carry a stock of fancy dry goods,
which is a separate business from the
regular millinery trade. The stocks are
about evenly divided between foreign and
domesting goods. Out-of-town merchants
from the Pacific, and as far South as Mis-
souri,, make pilgrimages to this city to
renew their stocks. Travelling men
are sent out to introduce new
goods and to solicit trade. The
Chicago market has the advantage
over Eastern markets in being two days
nearer the trade. The large stocks kept
on hand by the wholesale dealers are also
great advantage, as orders can be filed
for great variety of goods without
much delay. The purchaser secures bet
ter prices, as the travelling expenses are
not SO great as they are to Eastern houses.
Millinery goods are light weight. and
freight does not cut much of figure in
the price of goods.
CRoCKERY.
Crockerv and glassware were made a
distinctive business forty years ago by
the establishment of Wholesale house
and the business amounts to millions
every year. No wholesale dealer will
make an estimate of the volume of trade,
which is chiefly in the middle and finer
qualities of goods. Four-ffths of the
crockery and glassware in thls market is
i'm ported, while the domestic goods have
the monopoly of the cheapest qualities
The outsids dealers do not generally come
into the large establishments, but about
three-fourths of the trade is secured
by travelling men, who use both
sam pies and catalogues to give prospective
customers idea of the style of goods
rhIo how hou f1v 10 ho
plies the Western and Northwestern
States. Although there are Wholesale
crockery houses in ST. Louis and Kansas
City, they do not interfere to great ex-
tent with the trade of this market. The
fact that Chicago is a railroad cen ter, as
well as general trade center, attracts
most of the trade to this point. The
Western dealers are beginning to pay
more atten ton to the finer grades of
goods, and filling their stores with stocks
of this class. The cheaper grades are
confined almost solely to the small coun-
try towns. The local retail trade does
not amount to much, as the leading
houses are branches of wholesale houses.
The trade of the cheap stores is not de-
sired, and no effort is made to secure it.
HARDWARE.
he wholesale hardware trade began as
far back as 1913. The first house handled
nothing but builders hardware, shelf
hardware and house-furnishing goods.
The growth of Chicago as a hardware
market soon caused change to be made
and the formation of speciality houses.
This market sends goods to Ohio, Michi-
gan, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkan-
sas, Texas and all of the Western States
and Territories The practice of select
ing stock from the large stores of the
city Is becoming more general than it
was five years ago. There are SO many
different styles and patterns being intro
duced that an adequate idea cannot be
obtained from samples. One reason
why the merchants visit the CEN
ters of trade is because they
are becoming more wealthy and give
more time to travel. Chicago leads The
United States hardware market. Her
advantages the large stocks kept on
hand and the great number of varieties
which can be found. Any orders received
can be filed at short notice and any de-
mand can be readily supplied. The hard
ware market has been depressed and
prices have declined during the last four
or five years. The bottom has been
reached and prices are going up, giving
indications of good year to the trade.
AS result the hardware dealers are be-
ginning to feel easier than for several
years. There are eight firms which deal
in all kinds of hardware, while the special
lists number Gig hty- three.
SEEDS
The Wholesale seed market cuts quite a
figure in the wholesale trade of the city.
Although seeds have always been bought
here by persons who did so In connection,
the seed trade was not distinctive trade
until after the war, or just previous to the
fire. 1t is a peculiar business, and the
dealer has to meet the severest com psti-
ton. There are SO many markets in this
vicinity, and within easy distance by rail,
that the producer always hunts the dear
est market, and the buyer tries to find
the cheapest. In one class of seeds alone
the shrinkege nas been rs cents
curing the last thirty days. The trade
differs greatly from whas 1t was twenty
years ago. At that time the farmer sold
direct to the seed men. The farmers have
become wealthier, and there is always one
or more men in country town who buy