The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-11-16
The Outlook.

WHlie StTcdUOT, La Sdlic, Aulold,
Joliet and other surrounding cities
are complaining Of the dizziness Of
business and the general lack OF inter-
est shown in trade, Ottawa Is fOrtu-
nate in situation and in the possession
of a superior laboring and mechanical
class, steadily employed all the year
around, giving her a population most
to be deserved for the good OF business
and society. No ruinous strikes have
disOrganized her business interests; no
ignOrantly stupid oifscOurings OF Eu-
rope. absorb her wealth and squander
IL upon baSer appetites; no stOppage OF
machinery retards her progress; and
no petty jealouSies narrow the minds
OF her citizens. She is beautiful and
serene, but with a throbbing pulse
that gives TO the world an indication
Of her energy, her enterprise and her
SteadfaStneSS.
Notwithstanding the presidential
campaign of 'SS, Ottawa's business in
terests did not suffer but she steadily
added resident after resident, home
after home and interest after interest,
until when so held out his chubby
arms she embraced him with joyous
bound and lead him for ten months a
most profitable chase. Although pos
sessed of abundant evidence Of an in
crease in all of the lines of trade, the
FREE TRADER arranged series of in
teryiewS with the heads of prominent
business houses, asking the question,
What has been the condition OF busl-
ness this year in comparison with the
trade of 1872"
One of our most prominent dry
goods merchants stated that his house
had increased it business from fifteen
to twenty-five per cent. over 1888.
During the entire month OF October
business had been fifty per cent. bet
ter than for the corresponding month
of the previous year, and indeed bet
ter with but one exception, than for
any month for the past ten years.
Twenty-Five years ago there were flf-
teen dry goods houses in Ottawa-now
there are six, and he would venture to
say that these six represented more
money, in dollars and cents, than thir-
ty of the houses of that day.
Another dry goods man estimated
his increase at ten per cent, another
at fifteen, another at twenty and a
fourth at ten. The general estimate
upon the volume of business done
was 5000, 900.
Said prominent boot and shoe
man:
Business has been good all this
year, much better than for many
years. Ottawa is now receiving from
her own population more than she
once received from her immense
90 do xuh u T.
est inland grain market of the world.
Her footwear costs many tens of thou
sands of dollars"
Other shoe and boot men were happy
to state that business had improved
greatly. They were perfectly satisfied
with Ottawa. (Who isn't?)
500 you know how much money
Ottawa pays out for her groceries,
asked a prominent gentleman of that
branch of trade, as sort OF cross bill
to the reporters inquiry.
"No, SIR"
Just about $1,2OO,OOO! When you
consider that there are twenty gro
Gerry houses in town and all doing a
good business, it doesn't seem large,
| though. Yes, business is increasing
in volume, for Ottawa feeds nearly
three thousand people more than she
did in the spring of 49,"
"The clothing trade never was bet
ter" said one of our best known cloth
ers. "We have sold a great many
more suits and OvercOatS this fall than
ever before. Trade is better in al
particulars. We can't kick against
Ottawa"
Another clothing man stated that
the tailors ard clOthers were doing a
thriving business. and that Ottawa's
clothing bill for 1889 would be about
$500, 600.
In all branches of trade, jewelry
baking, drugs-in all lines of manu-
featuring both great and small-Ot-
tawa has taken steady and growing
activity. Prices are low but firm and
as one gentleman remarked, goods are
not bringing as much money as form
erly, but sales are larger and the az
gregate profit is greater than in former
years. Ottawa is selling her goods at
Chicago prices, for Chicago is her only
competitor.