The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-29
CONDITION OF TRADE.
Large Increase in Foreign I'm.
ports at This Port.
Decline in Lumber-Decrease in Local Bank
Clearings-Imports of Grocsries-Wheat
and Barley Higher.

was decrease in the local bank clearings,
which were S14, III, 61S, against SIC, 755, $50
for the same week last year. Trade runs
quietly along. and, as no complaints are
heard, the inference that the distribution of
merchandise is satisfactory is therefore
natural. In fact, as will be seen below, the
imports at San Francisco during the first
six months of 1891 exceeded those for the
same period in 1890 by over S5.0O0.0OO.
THE CEREAL MARKET.
Flour has been marked down % cents per
barrel all around.
Wheat has gone up at least 81 per ton
since last review in sympathy with higher
foreign markets. The demand has cor
respondingly improved, but the farmers are
holding back, hence buyers find some diff
Guilty in supplying their wants.
Barley has advanced 90 cents per ton,
owing to speculative manipulation.
Oats are steady, with moderate offerings.
Corn is weak and dull Sellers are doing
their best to sustain the market, but it is an
uphill job.
Rye has advanced 80 cents per ton.
Bran and middlings have been marked
down and ground barley marked up. Grain
bags are now held at Sk cents by the COM
bination OF importers, but the demand is
slow, as the advance has frightened off The
farmers.
GENERAL COUNTRY PRODUCE.
Hay has declined 80 cents per ton under
enormous receipts, aggregating 1877 tons
during the past ten days. The smallneSS of
the decline shows the remarkable strength
of the market this year, as in ordinary sea-
soR5 such heavy arrivals would have utterly
smashed prices. But the demand for hay
this year is abnormal owing to last years
slender crop.
Beans drag along with very little varia-
ton.
. Potatoes arc still In excessive supply and
weak and prices are even lower than at the
date Of last review. Onions have also de-
clined and are abundant.
Choice butter and eggs have advanced I'M
der light arrivals, and even common de-
scriptlons are fairly steady. Cheese is firm.
Honey is quiet at last weeks prices.
Dried fruit is neglected. The new fruits
offering are peaches. apric0ts and apples,
and the pressure to sell apricots has depressed
prices to and cents for beached. No
body seems to want dried fruit.
RaiSlns are also neglected, and in the alb
sence of wholesale transactions prices are
nominal.
Wool is active and firm, but prices are no
higher.
Hops are duh at'lower quotations. The
first bale of the 1891 crop from the Pacific
Coast was shipped to New York. on the Dist
inst, from Sacramento. Some nibbliDg at
1891 hops on the basis of 10 and 20 cents per
business does not amount to much. A local
circular says:
Lice and honeydew are Increasing throughout
Oregon aud IN many section in Washington. in
some sections growers have found washing inef-
fectIve and have given up the crop. The Califor-
MIA crop thus far has been free from all pests.
Hides are weak and dull at a further de-
cline.
Choice beef is firm and in light supply, but
there is plenty OF ordinary beef here. Nut
ton and lamb are steady. Pork has declined,
owing to free arrival of granted hogs.
GROCERIES AND PROVISIONS.
The imports of staple groceries at San
Francisco during the first six months in
1891 compared with the first six months in
1890 were as follows: Sugar, 227 1874 500
IL. 523, AGO pounds, against Is, 79S, 800 pounds;
rice, g, Do, 600 pounds, against 900
pounds; tea, 1,204, 800 pounds, against !, 2z9,-
500 pounds. All lines except tea show q
large increase this year, sugar and coffee
imports being especially heavy.
Grocery jobberS report gratifying in
crease in business without special features.
Sugar runs along ut previous prices. The
only change in lice IS an advance in Ha-
waiian, due to light receipts. The cheaper
grades OF Liverpool salt are higher.
OF coffee the private circular of r. Hoch-
kUfi"r says:
Business since the 1st inst. has been fairly
active, transactions from first hands aggregating
1907 bags Tor local consumption and $40 bags
medium 10 prime washed Guatemala for ship
ment 10 ST. Louis on the basis OF our quotations,
which remain unchanged for all kinds except
good unwashed Salvador. a slight Improvement
IN New York aud the gradual concentration OF
the stock OF this latter descT iptiOu here has en-
abled holders 10 establish the price OF 70 cents,
at which hgure lew hundred bags have been
slowly absorbed by the trade. The small cargoes
lately arriving tend TO confirm tile growing I'M
preston that shipments from the present crop
are practically over.
Provisions are firm, in sympathy with ad-
vancing markets East, and bacon and East
ern hams have gone up fraction.
Canned fruits are still dull and some can
ners are making continual concessions to
effect sales.
Canned salmon continues unchanged as
to price and the demand is not brisk.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The retail prices Of lumber have been re-
duced 81 per 1000 feet.
Dry goods are quiet and exhibit no new
features.
The demand for tobacco is reported rather
better.
Foreign imports at San Francisco during
the first six months of 1891 were 500, 945, 400
against $2i,609,227, a gain for 1891 OF So
1885, no of the imports this year about S21,-
100000 was for free goods. Compared with
1890, there has been an increase OF ST.
$50 900 with the Hawaiian Islands, S., 392, eco
with Japan, $4,000 with China and Hong
Kong, S703,000 with Great Britain, S64S, 900
with Central America, S214000 with British
Columbia, $4,000 with Australia and
$4,000 with France.
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