The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-16
IMPROVED TRADE CONDITIONS.
indianapolis Wholesale Merchants Who Think
that Times Are Growing Better.

This is called the dull season of the year.
yet. as a rule, Indianapolis business men
seem to be pretty we'll satisfied with the
outlook of commercial affairs. Mr.. Will
O'Connor, of the firm of O'Connor g.
Co., wholesale grocers, stated yester-
day to a Journal reporter that so far
this year business has been very
satisfactory. He said COLLECTIONS are
coming in much better than we had antici-
pated. The business, thus far. has been
better than it was last year. and last year
was the best we have had in q long time.
Sugar is coming to more now than
last year, and sugar and coffee form about
one-third of our business. Consequently.
when there is an increase in the price of
sugar and coffee there is al increase in the
profits. Sugar is now from 81 to l0lo cents.
against 5 to zig cents at the same time last
year. This year there is a shortage of
about 100000 tons. and people will have to
pay higher for sugar. Coffee is at present
on the decline. That article has kept
up remarkably well during the last
down still further, in view of the prospect
for a good crop. OF course this is all under
the control of a syndicate, and there is no
good reason whatever for the high prices.
LdSU WCCh euSdI utCllItu dDOuI Il cent Der
pound, owing to the fact that the English
and German syndicates were unable to
make payments. This applied. however.
to best sugar alone. Cuban sugar was
they are stationary. We are having a nice
business. now, and. expect it to increase
largely in two or three weeks, after the
farmers have gotten off their crops
G. A Schnun, of Schnul * Co. said: AT
first, business showed no appreciable in
crease over last year, but now each
succeeding month exhibits an increase.
There is more business being done this
year than was done last. The reports from
quantity and quality, but the rains of
the last few days have proven in
j%urious to it. One thing is es-
pecially noticeable in the city now,
hi stinS H among ,s sH the Wholesale ke1 Sro sss,ns That fnt
has sprung up since the organization of the
Wholesale Grocers' Exchange. Coming to-
gether once a week and exchanging ideas
tends to decrease the rivalry formerly exist
the fact that they are working for a conlmon
end. The Indiana Coffee Company, in
Guiding all the iobbers of the city, having
for officers wholesale grocers, still further
assists in this. Finally, / may say that the
volume of business is good, and we cannot
complain" ~
Mr.. Mckee, of Mckee e. Branham, whole
sale boot and shoe men. expressed himself as
1Ol1O 1hClO . dt DLCcCut Ill dlOllldlOuS
condition of affairs. We have health,
peace and a plethora of money. Why is
business not more activei Times are GER
tainly dull all over the country. Why. in
New York one-name paper can be readily
placed at gig per cent. per annum.. Here
in. indianapolis things are health
full. more so than eyer before. in
twenty years past. There is plenty
of money lying idle in bank and
| funds. As for ourselves. we are doing bef-
ter than We did last year, but it takes
more men on the road to accomplish il.
Along the street men are complaining
somewhat of times not being act
results from such towns in the
! State as Kokomo, Anderson and Mum
I Gle. These places are putting on city airs
and beginning to do a jobbing trade. They
can buy groceries as cheap as Indianapolis
men and owing to lower rents and cheaper
| clerk hire, can undersell our merchants
here. We are in a healthy condition buthave
no boom-in fact two or three attempts
to start a boom rather injured the town
| than otherwise"
said that the prospect for business was
good. The volume is as large as last year.
but up until this time it has been
secured only at the expense of profits.
the market is firming up. 1T is much to
the credit of Indianapolis said he. that,
while the cutting began in the higher mar
ket, indianapolis did not lose trade. We
are now getting able to carry heavier
is a good sign A member of the
firm of Eastman. Schleicher ~ Lee, said
that just now things are dull. bat there is
an excellent prospect for a heavy fall trade.
He said that he regarded the heavy demand
for fine draperies as one of the surest signs
of advancing prosperity and culture in In
d~ianapOlis.