The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-11
CONDITION OF TRADE.
The Recent Rain Has Given the
Outlook a Rosy Hue.
The Stock Of Breadstuffs-The Ceffss Trade.
Coal Receipts and Prospects-A Few
Cod Figures, Etc.

confidence which appears on all sides
Many portions of the State are now suffici-
entity wet for blowing and in those districts
the crops will soon be well under way SO
far as seeding is concerned. AS the whole
fortunes OF the State depend on the rainfall
it will readily. be seen what an important
occurrence storm at this season is. Hence
everybody feels more buoyant than before
the storm and we close 1890 with confidence
in the coming year. Already the merchants
report increased orders for goods as result
of the rain, for the country merchants feel
more disposed to stock up than they did
fortnight ago. Another effect will be to in.
crease the demand for holiday goods.
The Bradstreet Mercantile Agency re-
ports eighty-three failures in the Pacific
Coast States and Territories for the month
OF November, with assets at S255, POS and
liabilities S741,371, as compared with fifty
four for the corresponding month of 1889,
with assets at S370,214 and liabilities
S59O,172
The following are the causes assigned for
the failures: 1ncompetency. %; inexperi-
ence 10 inadequate capital for the business
undertaken, %; injudicious crediting, 6;
complications of indebtedness, /; personal
extravaganza. 1; neglect of business and
O',>~
floods. fires, ETC., 8; speculation, /; fraud, 3.
THE GRAIN MARKET.
Wheat is dull and sparingly offered Prices
are steady at 81 80 to 81 321a for No. ex-
port grades. The Produce Exchange esti-
mates the stock on hand in the State Deem
Der 1st at II, les, 993 centals or Cos, 449 tons,
against 1880, 36S centals or 765 600 tons De-
cember 1, 1882 Present stocks are smaller
than had been expected, most of The trade
having calculated on supply ranging from
65o,00o to 10000 tons. The exports of wheat
and flour, reduced to wheat basis, from
July list to December LIST, from this port
were 6,075. 600 centals valued at S. 32S, 900,
against {, 4S5, 500 centals at SS,712, 500. during
the same period last year. The exports of
flour alone during this period were 502, 362
barrels, against 400, 725 barrels during the
same time in 1889.
Barley is very firmly held at high prices
The Produce Exchange semi-annual esti-
mate gives stocks on hand in this State De-
cember 1st at 615, 655 centals or 50, 1872 tons,
against 1911 $50 centals or 1885, 093 tons De-
cember l, 1880. In other words present
stocks of barley are about 80 per cent
smaller than at this time last year.
Stocks of corn in the State December LIST
were 302,921 centals, against 134, 90 centals
December l, 1889. In other words, we have
over twice as much corn as we had at this
tiLlo ldSb year. HIS SuOWluX apparently
does not worry holders, for they stick like
grim death to their asking prices of 81 80 to
81 81 for all descriptions of corn, and the
apathy Of buyers gives them no concern.
IL buyer wants corn he has simply got to
pay for it. The situation is uniuue-a stiff
market in the face of heavy stocks and
slack demand-aBd it shows what holders
can do with prices when they agree to keep
them up.
Rye is dull at 81 321l to 81 So per GENITAL.
Bran has been advanced 81 per ton during
the week. Middlings have not changed for
some little time.
GENERAL COUNTRY PRODUCE
Hay is in fair demand at previous prices.
but dealers report more tone. as the present
frosty weather keeps the new grass back.
Beans are unsettled, and not materially
changed.
over last week. 1t is not due to any increase
in the demand, but solely to speculation.
Most dealers have stored their recent re-
cepts. believing in higher prices before the
new crop comes in, hence the advance In
deed, some dealers confidently expect to see
potatoes selling at to cents per pound
before the winter IS over. 1t remains to be
seen whether their sanguine expectations
will be realized. At the close the market is
lower.
market is the arrival of a carload from
Chicago.
Butter has been weak for a fortnight or
so, but at the close the market appears some
what steader, and more inquiry for picked
roll is reported. Stocks of the latter de-
scription are light, while fresh roll is not in
heavy supply.
Cheese is easy and very dull. probably
owing to the very high prices. Choice mild
new cheese sells well however, not being
oyer-a bundant.
Eastern eggs are firm. owing to reduced
stocks, but California eggs have been
weakening for some days owing to increased
supplies and lessened inquiry. They are
still high, however.
All grades of fine honey are in demand
and firm with moderate stocks.
Dried fruits Of all kinds are dnll and
dealers report difficulty in moving their
holdings. Prices are generally weak, and
the whole market Is in unsatisfactory shape.
Nuts show no new features.
Dealers report rather more inquiry for
hops at the old prices.
Wool is quiet. Prices show no variation.
Hides rule weak at lower prices las pre-
viously remarked than have prevailed
since 1857.
Tallow finds fair demand.
The meat market is well supplied as a
rule Veal Is not so scarce as it has been and
prices are rather lower. The other de-
scrlptlons show no change worthy of note.
Pine wood is % cents per cord lower.
This. coupled with the decline in Coos Bay
~'' - 90 oiiOhlu5 d W6uktT
market for fuel.
GROCERIES AND PROVISIONS.
Sugar is strong at the advances estab
lished last week, and local stocks are re-
ported light.
The arrivals of coffee at this port in No
yyember were 1893 bags. against 1909 in
November, 1889. The arrivals during the
first eleven months of the year were 1871, O6S
bags, against 1881 in the same time last
year. The sales from first hands during
this period were 1888 bags, against 1872
23S in 1889, and the stock in first hands
December LIST was 256S bags, against II. 95I
on December !, 1889 The private circular
Of X. Hochkofer, from which these statistics
are taken, says:
Sales from first hands in tile last ten days were
on The same limited scale as during the earlier
part OF The month. owing to restricted demand,
Stocks in importers hands are unusually large,
wnie those in second hands are moderate
Prices in consequence OF this Inactivity. are
more or less nominal and somewhat Irregular.
Several hundred bags OF now Guatemala sold at
The rate Of 21A 10 2Is4 cents for good TO prime,
washed Salvador fetched 2l1A cents. Costa
Rca Is neglected. Ordinary qualities Of ali de-
scrptlons are very scarce and In demand.
Rice has undergone considerable variation
since last review. All descriptions of Chi
nese have declined, while Louisiana rice has
advanced. Island rice is steady.
Business in provisions is fair at previous
prices, except hams, which are weak, in
sympathy with Western packing points,
where, owing TO the tightness in tile money
market, small packers were obliged to un-
load their product, which caused weaken
ing of values.
Stocks OF canned fruits are so seriously
reduced that it is almost impossible to fill
orders OF any size. This Is satisfactory
state of affairs for us. if not for the Eastern
markets, which are largely dependent on us
this year for supplies. Quotations show no
change.
Canned salmon is quiet and without vara-
ton. Receipts at this port for the season
to December 1st We're $50, sos cases. Ex-
ports for the same time from this port were
$40. $40 cases. of which 2C6, 744 went by rail.
In addition to this considerable went toward
under the name of canned goods"
Canned corn is steadily advancing, as the
partial failure of the Western crop has di-
minished the pack. All the leading brands
Of oysters have again been marked up. This
years pack is unusually light. hence the
high prices.
Candies have gone up half cent per
pound, in sympathy with sugar.