The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-05


last years business was much greater than
they had estimat it would be. In
view OF these facts, and of the stead
business Of sSvanasb NAV be- aid
TO be yet in its infancy There is no telling TO
what extent il may expand more especially as
us managemeut Is IN the hands Of energetic and
progressive men, who ke pabresst Of the times
OF course, there were good reasons for this in
crease during the year, the chief ones being the
opening up OF the two new lines of railroad.
passed tributary 10 Savannah, and BROUGHT
purchasers into this market who hitherto traded
eisswhere. These add itons to Savannah ter
rltory nave necessitated an increase 10 the large
growing trade. About one-thir1 more men
nave been added TO the trade 30
cover the additional territory. and the
result OF their work is very uercepfible.
There was a remarkably steady business
throughout the year. and during the past few
months IL was remarkably large for midsunn
20; Inc business was heavy and regular in
all lines or groceries. The summer trade was
unprec >dented, which is all the more remarEa-
Ole when the failure of the frujt and vegetable
crops IS tasen into consideration But seem
IN sy tne grocery trade did not feel the effect OF
TINS FAILURE The real reasons for this very
steaay demand are attributed to the prosperous
condition OF the farm ars and the very prosper
GUS general business in the interior; the starting
up OF new enterprises in the country, more
especially saw-mills along the lines of new and
projected railroads leading to this city
as terminus. OF course, the
interior merchants have been slim
ulated by very large cotton crop which
mad been marketed at good price, and by tine
prospect OF another large crop. This same
teelnS OF condolences was felt by the consumer,
especially as he had the means TO buy what he
found necessary and to CRAFTY even his desire
Tor what, In other and poorer seasons, might be
Termed luxurieS. The increase in the total
volume OF the year, s trade is probably - to Is
per cent. The jobbefs in grOc .ries have, as
usual had to do business on very close margins,
nandhng an enormous quantity OF goods to
make lar return out of their business, the
pronts being as a rule, very small This Is
almost invariably 50 in the heavy staple goods
winch are carried almost for accommodation
sun, the enterprise of our grocery merchants
IS not checked by Urities, and they have proven
themselves able to meet all competition
no matter where it is from, as was
Illustrated last month by the fact that one of
savannah S leading grocery houses in cOmpeti-
ton with some of the greatest grocery firms in
the world, obtained contracts for supplying two
very large orders for canned gOodsin New York
city, and il was not only their reas enable prices
mat won, but also the quality OF their goods.
Inc New York merchants were astonished at
being beaten In their own city by a Savannah
firm. In point Of fact, 1t has been demonstrated
on several occasions that interior merchants can
save money on the great bulk of their pur
chases by buying in this market instead of New
York.
The general condition Of our merchants has
been EXCEPTIONALLY healthy during the year.
OOAAONNOAc nave Octu larry SOOu anu bnc lOooCS
much smaller than in other years. The first
failure in several. years occurred last week,
which was not caused so much by lack of trade
as it was by too much Of IL, but on too small
capital The competition grows stronger every
year both in and out of the state, and
the very closest kind of figuring has TO be done,
both 10 the matter of freights as well as in the
prices of goods, to obi ain orders and hold trade
AS general thing prices during the year were
low. For the last two months of the year, how
ever, prices advanced, particularly in the heavy
goods, especially canned goods, which have
proven TO be very fine property lately, the
prices of which having gone up rapidly. This
was caused by the failure of the vegetable and
fruit crops. The demand for canned goods in
creases steadily, and the sales during Jhe year
were enormous; not even the heavy advance
checked their consumption, as there is no sub
stitute for them. Fortunately the advance
found our merchants pretty well stocked up
with them, and of the best class of goods and or
the best packs of California fruits The demand
for the heavier goods, such as -four, sugar
coffee, meats, liquors and tobacco has been very
great, In fact. more SO than in any previous
season.
The railroad facilities are good. but it is
thought that they could be so much improved
to enable merchants to meet competition in GER
tain localities on somewhat equal terms
espec ally in the matter of bulk goods. 1t is
claimed by merchants that the commission rates
hurt the market toa great extent on such goods,
as people outside the state get through rates
which initiate against Savannah. The coffee
trade was not so good during the year, and fell
off fully SO per cent This was owing
to the ruling high prices which
held up throughout the year. and the
proportonally lower prices of tea, which
was substituted by interior consumers The
flour trade was one of the features of wholesale
1oobing trade, and the sales through grocers
showed much greater increase in the sales
and shipments than in former years. In fact.
through this channel it has trebled in the past
six years. The fish business was dull, owing
to the scarcity and very high prices of mackerel
but in the la tier Dart,O the the hamanf
was better, and more liberal movement took
place, for the reason that there was no salts
factory substitute. There was a very liberal
business in butter and cheese. and prices ruled
very low. The demand for sugar was unusually
heavy. The reason of this was that prices were
so low that the poorest people were able TO use
them. In liquors. tobacco and cigars there was
an enormous demand, and they are rapidly be-
coming one OF the leading departments
of the wholesale grocers' stock. The
outlook for big trade the coming season is
excellent. With an immense cotton crop in sight
and the building of new railroads, which will
give access TO territory never touched before
by Savannah, the grocery trade will have no
dull season. The trade will be a continuous
steady one throughout the year. When the
South Bound is completed Savannah. it is prob
able, will have to enlarge her facilities for hand
ling the grocery trade.
The total receipts of bacon in this market
were &C. 1o2.053 pounds against o. 29S, 200 pounds
for the previous year. The receipts of lard
we're 1851 1884 pounds, against S,222, 343 pounds
lot Une year before.
The season was very unsatisfactory Prices
ruled lower the past season than in sew
eral years previously, but there is however a
brighter prospect at hand as prices have at last
rallied and are rapidly advancing There are
several reasons given for the sudden upward
turn, one being that it is simply a revival of a
hitherto dull trade. Another is g shortage of
supply from South America, and that Europe
has been a heavier .purchaser than usual The
receipts of hides are very much reduced In this
and the nearby markets, owing to the falling off
in saughtering of native cattle, caused by the
keen competition OF western meat packers, who
are running the southern meats out by the in
PRODUCTION of western dressed beef, which is
much cheaper than the native article
WHOLESALE DRY GOODS AND NOTIONS
No branch of the mercantile business of our
city has been so successfully managed from wear
to year, and has so steadily and BEAUTIFULLY
increased as that of wholesale dry goods and
notions. While there have been no new houses
established in several years, yet those engaged
in this business have increased their capital
enlarged their fields of operations aud largely
added to the volume of their business from wear
toyear. AS all of the firms in this line enjoy
the best of credit. and with increasing facilities
of doing business, they have during the last
year outstripped all competitors south, and
hold their yearly increasing trade well in hand
against the largest jobbers of the north
They have reputation for conducting
business on thoroughly business principles
extending their trade, giving long datings
and furnishing goods at bottom prices. Tne
joining, find it TO their interest to trade here.
nd hfay 6l nf hos