The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-16
CONDITION OF TRADE.
A Good Movement in Most Lines
of Merchandise.
Further Increase in Bank Clearings = Mort
cages Being Released - Coal, Wool,
Hey and Coff.e Higher.

Trade is good. Some lines are quiet, but
the majority are active. Fluctuations in
merchandise continue frequent, as mer-
chants and manufacturers are adapting
prices to the new tariff. Nine-tenths of such
fluctuations are upward.
Money continues in good demand at steady
rates. The savings banks report an unusual
number of mortgage releases, as the brilliant
fruit year has enabled many orchardiSts to
wipe out their debts.
Silver has been unsettled at 81 10 to 81 IL
per ounce as the ruling quotations for the
week.
The bank clearings last week were
S1S,39j,513 against S16,6SS,71 for the same
week in 1889. The continued gain in these
bank clearings is highly gratifying. as it
shows an increase of trade over last year.
THE CEREAL MARKET.
Wheat is about the quietest article dealt
in now, as far as the San Francisco market
is concerned. The market is not particu-
larly weak, but the exporters are amply
stocked for all current needs.
Barley is steady at the high prices noted
last week.
Oats are stiff at further advance and the
market is closely held.
heavy. but in view of the firmness in other
millstuffs holders are not disposed to accept
Lowell prices.
Rye is dull and tending downward.
Bran and middlings have been marked up
during the week.
Grain bags are nominal as the season is
over.
GENERAL COUNTRY PRODUCE.
Wool is in very brisk demand and firm
at further advance, and the trade reports
general feeling of buOyancy all along the
line owing TO the new tariff
Hops have recovered tone since last re-
view and are now strong at 271a to SO cents
per pound, in sympathy with advancing
English and German markets. Holders are
10 longer pressing the market, but have
changed front with the recovery, and are
now indifferent about selling.
Hay is stiff at radical advance. Choice
wheat hay is now bringing SIS so per ton,
and even common hay sells at SO TO S14 per
ton, without difficulty. Receipts have been
moderate for some time. Straw is scarce
and has advanced 50 per cent.
Beans are 50 unsettled that no dealer
knows what the morrow'S market will be-,
Same kinds are strong and others weak.
Whites are now more freely offered.
Potatoes have been steadily but slowly
hardening for soma little time but at the
close are quieter, owing to heavier arrivals.
There is good inquiry for sound reds, as
many dealers believe that prices will be
high this winter, owing TO the failure of the
Eastern crop.
Onions are in small receipt and consider
ably higher
Butter is in moderate stock and steady
Picked roll is very trm under an active de-
mind, Cheese is steady at good prices.
The egg market is particularly bare.
Choice California eggs are stiff at 42l5 cents
to AZ x cents, and sales at 90 cents are re-
ported. Eastern eggs are now up 10 %
cents 10 3215 cents.
Dried fruit shows number of changes
Apples are quiet and easy. Peaches are
dull as the Eastern consumers would not
buy them at the recent high prices. Ptted
plums are in fair demand, but holders have
nad to con?ede Y cent per pound. Apricots
are firm, with a scantily supplied market, as
most of the crop has been sent east. Grapes
are steady at the advance. PruueS are
lower as the French pruues are underselling
them in the Eastern markets. Prunes from
France are being laid down as far west as
ST. Louis ut 91s cents ana California Urunes
have had to come down. They are still COM
paratiyely high. however. TIE nut market
also exhibits some variations. Peanuts are
lower under larger offerings. Fiberts are
scarce and higher. Almonds ana walnuts
are strong at the good prices, ana the latter
are in light S ock.
Raisins are rather quiet. though recent
kilograms from New York have reported
scarcity of California raisins there. The
damage of the early rain is now set down
as nil as to quantity and less than 10 per
cent as to quality. The output will be very
large, some growers and dealers expecting
100000 boxes, though their expectations
may not be realized.
Hogs and beef are a shade firmer but
speaking generally the meat market is we'll
supplied and easy.
Posts and tanbark have been advanced.
GROCERIES AND PROVISIONS.
Sugar has continued unsettled and the re-
fineries have been marking prices up or down
every few days. The general tendency is
downward, however. The demand is slack
Coffee is reported in active demand at adj
vanced prices. Rice is still unsettled. In
porters of Chinese descriptions are conced-
ing 10 cents per cnt owing 10 the tariff reduc-
ton, but this is done unwilingly, as present
stocks come in uuder the old duty and
freights for future delivery are higher.
The provision market is fairly active, and
beyond lower tendency in hams shows no
change. Bacon continues firm.
Candies have gone down in sympathy with
sugar. French sardineS have been marked
up.
Canned salmon is still firm. but the de-
mand is hardly as sharp as it has been.
Canned fruits are now in very brisk de-
mand, as the packing season is drawing to II
close and buyers realize that every can will
be needed this year provided prices are not
run IN to point that shuts off consumption
Peaches and aprlcots have made another
marked advance, but the other varieties are
unchanged.
GENERAL MERCHANDISE.
As per manufacturers arrangement sew
eral descriptions OF oil have gone up during
the week. All the leading brands Of petrol
cum have advanced. Under an agreement
between merchants and manufacturers lard,
linseed, castor and polar oil have been
marked up. Naphtha is also higher. White
lead is firm at the advance
A thA IaaH iDn hro dc pf INN I'D L1,,,.~
have been marked up 10 cover the advance
in the import duty.
Salsoda has advanced to 81 40 to 81 80 per
cwt.
Leading brands of white CASTLE soap have
been marked up.
Trade in tobacco is reported fair.
The activity in dry goods continues, and is
ascribed to the brilliant fruit and farming
season. The value of the imports of dry
dds at New York for September was S12-
75S,700, against s10,297, 100 for the same
month last year The value of the goods
thrown on the market last month was
1894, 700 in excess of the value imported
The imports at New York during the first
nine months of the year amounted to S1f6,-
S45, 600, against Sl03,S13 during the CORE
spending period in 1889, and 500, 579, 600 in
1885,
Coal continues stiff at advancing prices
The weeks arrivals were 1860 tons coast
and 2311 tons British. A circular to the
Trade says:
Tie liberal shipments Of the past TWO weeks
from our northern mines have generally supplied
most OF our needy consumers, yet there are to-
day number OF factories In the market for coal
at such prices that their managers are seriously
considering the propileIy OF closing down for a
few months. Fuel in great many manu- ctures
cuts quite larg figure; when it reaches GER
tam price II can no longer be utilized at profit.
What makes he situation so serious is that it Is
question when and from what sources RELIEF
may be looked for. The strike in Australia con-
tnues; 1t takes about five months to get coal
from Great Britain, and freghtS from that Sec
ton preclude our getting any low-prlced coal
The demand locally, and for San Pedro and San
Diego. VIII employ all our coast tonnage, and
will require considerably more TO move our out
put on the Coast. The Wellington Company Is
using every endeavOr TO increase Its output TO
meet our winter consumption, but finds great
difficulty in securing miners.