Omaha daily bee., 1890-01-05
THE CONDITION OF TRADE.
An Increase in the Clearings of
Omaha National Banks.
A BRISK DEMAND FOR MONEY.
The New Year Opens up With Plenty
OF borrowers From Roth City
md Country-Coliections re.
ported scarce.
In Local Commercial Circles.

IN lJDCaI OOtnTlerCtat SlrC'ess
The clearings OF the Associated National
banks of Omaha for the week, as reported
by Mr.. Hughes, manager of the clearing
house, foot 50, 997, 320.ss, an increase OF s Clio
per cent over the same period of last year.
Rates for prime paper are S to 10 per cent.
Bankers say the new year opened with quite
an active demand for money, and borrowers
are plentiful. The call is as heavy from the
country as at any time during the past sixty
days and the city wants its full share, but
there is no scarcity in the supply, If legiti-
mate wants alone be considered. There is a
class Of borrowers, however, with whom a
renewal is tantamount to payment and
whose last thought IS to produce the currency
in final settlement, and this class is meeting
with a cold shoulder nowadays. Bankers
have u curiosity, sometimes dormant,
20 know whether their customers can pay IN
legal tender, and there seems TO be Just now
q desire on their part to ascertain just how
easy it VIII be to awaken these easy
going people TO a proper realization
of their obligations. Prompt pay
ers, however, have no trouble in obtaining
ali they want. Collections are pretty good.
not exactly brisk, but about the usual grist
arrives in each mail and there is no serious
con. plant as yet on this score. Still the con-
tinued open weather renders IL certain that
a good deal of persuasion will be necessary
to obtain a liquidation of balances due for
purchases made during the last half of 1889.
Failures have not been so numerous nor so
large IN amount during the past month as
they were in December, 1888, and the opinion
seems to be that the country merchants,
while hard up for funds, feel themselves in
n position to pull through and pay up salts
factorily If afforded a little extra time, and
the disposition is general on the part of our
bankers and merchants to favor their Gus.
toners literally where they can see that ul-
mately the proper results will obtain. Ne
braska has fed large numbers of cattle,
sheep and hogs during the past fall, and
these will now be going TO market, but
returns IN currency will not be large
till along about the first of February, so that
1t may be necessary to accommodate debtors
till then, and this viii be done cheerfully il
the latter can show their ability TO meet
their obligations at the extended time. City
dealers are in pretty fair shape, and while 1T
is admitted by them that they have not made
much money during 1889, they claim to have
kept even, and there have really been no
failures of amount; the few firms which
have succumbed to the pressure have all
paid more than 30 cents on 81, and this is re-
garded as a good settlement. A majority of
our traders are taking stock and casting up
the profits for the year. Statesmen are over.
hauling sample cases and preparing for an
other campaign and the feeling that we will
VI u GOV az IL low anu luh ~ Ii ICCh-
oning post in the history of the city seems
universal. The sales for 1889 were some.
what disappointing, as the spring months
showed a considerable decrease and trade
was dull, while the fall months did not
- show footings as heavy as we anticipated,
but we did AS well, if not better, than our
neighbors. and the growth of Omaha as q
iobbing center has shown u normal increase,
and we do not fiatuer ourselves unduly
when we take comfort in the assurance that
we are always gaining and must within a
period short enough to satisfy even the i'm.
patient take precedence of our sister cities
west Of the Mississippi river as IA jobbing
and manufacturing center. Our position
there is assured and in due time we will oc-
cupy 1t.
Prices are steady as q rule in manufac
tured goods. Sugars are stronger, with
graduated q~uotable Mt ~ to rs. Coffee is
unchanged though the disturbances in Bra
I'll give an unsettled feeling TO the market
and higher figures for Rio and Santos coffees
are not improbable. The window glass trusl
seems to be very solid and in a position t.
put the screws to the public and it will likely
do 40.
The produce markets are literally sup
piled and while butter is somewhat firmei
there is SO much poor stuff coming IN tina
quotations are necessarily shaded and lower
though choice goods are in demand. Egg.
are very plentiful and have heen sold at II
to 17c for strictly fresh, but should
the weather grow cold q sharp advance ma,
be looked for. Poultry IS in light supply ant
prices arc firm. Game is about the sam,
though the demand is slack on account Of
the soft weather. Pork products and driet
beef hams are lower.