The morning call., 1891-03-04
CONDITION OF TRADE.
The Prospects for a Fine Year
Continue Brilliant.
Sharp Rise in sugar-Activity in Wheat-Ad.
vance in Grain Bags-Enormous Ar
rivals of Coal-Etc.

The first calendar spring month starts off
well with the State thoroughly wet down
and the crops in fine condition. Observing
persons say that il no setback occurs the
crop of 1891 will be one of the largest ever
harvested. Certainly, the outlook could
hardly be better than it is now. AS the
prosperity of the State hinges on the crops
THIS means good deal.
we continue, through the bank clearings,
10 show larger volume of business than in
1880 The local clearings in February were
go, SIS, 600 against S55.O4O, 800 in February,
$780, For the first two mouths of 1891 they
We're S131, 100000 against $1l5, 494. 600 during
the same period in 1890. 81
Money is in ample supply at normal rates
Oh interest. The prospects for good spring
trade are most promising and no complaints
Oh dullness are now heard. Some trouble from
ralroad blockades and washouts is reported,
out this is only a temporary hindrance.
THE CEREAL MARKET.
Wheat is very active and strong at 81 As
as the best figure for No. shipping. The
French and German demand continues and
the English markets have been very strong
Tor fortnight or more. The shippers have
bought large quantities during the week,
Oub TIC lullleIS Idpc puiNhdoOo heeAO VI
nothing. Freights have also advanced, and
40s Sd has been paid tor an iron vessel, U.
X. HavIe and Antwerp.
Barley has also gone up and feed is now
quoted at 81 40 per GENITAL. against 81 32lA
last week. Receipts and offerings are small,
holders are very firm and buyers have no
alternative than TO pay up II they want
barley.
Oats, too, are firmer, under light receipts
and firm holding on the part of sellers, and
an advance in all descriptions is noted. The
demand Is nothing extra, however.
Corn continues dull, bat firmly held at
prices which are largely nominal, as sales
are few.
Bran and middlings have declined again,
while ground barley has been further
| marked up.
Flour is very active and firm.
GENERAL COUNTRY PRODUCE.
| The most prominent feature under this
! head last week was tile decline in butter
| from 3212 cents to % to 26 cents per pound,
| top figures. The decline was due to largely
| increased receipts and warm moist weather.
| At the moment the market is thoroughly
| demOraized, with plenty of sellers and few
| buyers, and stocks are very heavy. Cheese
is also lower and rapidly declining.
| Toward the close of last week eggs made
slight recovery, and at present writing
| they are firm.
Hay is steady at nearly as good prices as
| prevailed before the rains. Receipts being
| moderate dealers are unable to hold up the
| market.
Beans are inactive. and quotations are
| largely nominal.
| Potatoes were in bad way most of the
week, as the southern railroad blockade
| completely checked the usual export move
ment to the Southwest. The market accord
| ingly filed up and prices declined still fur
ther.
| Onions show no noteworthy change.
Poultry was scarce during the week and
| prices for young stock rose sharply. Deal
ers in dried fruit report fair demand in a
small way for peaches, apples and prunes
| for Eastern shipment Pears and hgs are
| dull. Stemmed grapes are We'll cleaned up
and firm. but unstemmed are hard to sell
| aud weak.
| RalSinS are still in large supply, weak anu
utterly neglected.
Nuts are quiet at the old prices.
Hops are dull and normal. Hides are
| quiet, cheap and unchanged. Wool is firm
and steadily cleaning up.
Beyond a slight easiness in mutton, the
| livestock market shows no noteworthy
change.
GROCERIES AND PROVISIONS.
Sugar has been marked up sharply since
last review After s ApFg n hstd stafes rel
~, ~ s S.sS, aud millions of pounds of raw
ION %gW lying IN bonded Mar s;3cs
This sugar Will be kept there until it can be
released duty free. Again, a good deal OF
sugar that would otherwise 60 INTO con-
sumption will be placed in bonded. ware
| houses against the operation of the new
law. Perhaps the sharp rise in sugar nidy
have some connection with these facts.
Coffee has been much more active OF late
and dealers report very stIOng marke
with fractional advance in one OF two
descriptions of Central American. Stock;
bou M tass rpiu rod undar 10
demand. Rice is unchanged. Stocks art
we'll held and prices are generally steady.
Provision dealers report quiet market
with a further decline In hams. Canned
fruits continue firm. Steady inquiries ar
| being received from the East, but the mar
ket Is not active. The Gamers hope to g
into the new fruit year with little or nothing
on hand. Canned vegetables are firm, an,
contracts for future delivery are being made
Canned salmon exhibits no new feature:
worthy of remark. Free sales of Columbia
River fish for future delivery have recent.
been made.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Some lines of merchandise are moment
arily dull, owing to the recent Interruption
in rail transportation but this is fly o.
the wheel as far as the years business i
concerned. Dry goods, tobacco and cigar
have been more or less affected thereby. bu
an increased movement is expected ate
the trains get running regularly again.
Coal continues to arrive in enOrmou
quantities. The arrivals last week wer
so, 130 tons, of which nearly $1,000 tons cam
from foreign sources, chiefly Australia. Tn
| arrivals in February were 13S,O0O ton:
, | against 81, $50 tons in February, $780, an
for the first two months OF the year 255. II
tons, against 16S,290 tons for the san
period in 1890. In view of these heavy a
rivals it is no wonder That the market
heavily supplied and that importers ar
| Glad To loXypr nricps. to keep DOW
their surplus to manageable proportion
A local circular to the trade, commenting o
the steady decline in prices, says:
This unprecedented amount OF coal arriVli
almost simultaneously has naturally demora
lied values, as iObbeIs and dealers nave all .
| come sellers at once, with no large buyers In u
| market to sustain II. The lew VINO nave Surpll
yard room Will be the eventual gamers, as sp
cargOes will be sold within the next thirty day
at as low figure as they Will probably reac
this year. Forced sales will be made by SON
who in some cases have not the storage capach
and by others who cannot financially c0mpa
the strain on their bank accounts brought aD0
: by the. large quantity arriving together: a
that has so far arrived has been disposed oil
, the original importers and has gone INTO seeol
= hands most of them being sales made from $
g to eight mouths ago. Those most posted III q
: trade look for an Improvement IN values all
n this tie up Is over. Notwithstanding our We
" encouraging crop prospects, the latest freig
quotations from Australia for loading sever
months renee VIII not permit importers TO ma
J contracts for future delivery at very low hgur,
as they usually do at this season OF the year.
Quicksilver has declined to S46 per has
G and is very dull and weak.
= Receipts of lumber at this port during /
, first two months of 1891, compared with t
i same time last year, were as follows: Plt
n Al, 439 900 feet, against 80, 69i 900 feet; re
r weed, I9,7l6,000 feet, against 20. $50, coo fe,
+ shingles, 7,045, 900. against 7,247, 800; rairo
!. ties, ia, 937, against 22I, 353.
n