The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-23
CONDITION OF TRADE.
Increased Imports for This Year
Over 1890.
The Iron Trade Looking Up-Producs and
Merchandise Both Dull Cereals Quiet.
Failuras-Etc

marked activity need be expected until after
New Years. The conditions are the same
all over the Christian world, and come along
every year on time However, this wear
the conditions appear to be rather easier
| than usual. Money is not tight, and collec-
tons are fair The two large failures OF
Monday are the only serious financial
disasters for months, as failures as rule
have been insignificant during the whole
season. AS class the merchants are not
complaining, and as the farmers have not
expressed any apprehension OF short crops
on account of the limited rainfall, the signs
of the times may be considered encouraging,
Some lines, such as lumber and coal, are de-
pressed, while Others like wheat. wool and
hops, are in satisfactory condition. The
average is good.
Local bank clearings last week were
ST., 409, 800 against $780, Isl for the same
week last year.
THE GRAIN MARKET.
Wheat freights are demorallzed and still
low, 23s Cd at 24s being now quoted for iron
vessels, usual options. This is disastrous
drop from ass several months ago. Mean
while the harbor contains more ships than
for n good many years. They are not al
visible to passengers on the ferries, nor to
loungers along the water front, but they are
here just tho same, tucked away in con-
Yenlent creeks and coves.
Wheat is higher despite lower markets
east and abroad. The improvements local,
and due 10 the decline in freights and to
scarcity OF spot offerings. Business is dull,
as holders are not Offering
Barley and oats are quiet and not mate
rally changed.
Corn is in large supply and easy.
Rye is dull at Il further decline.
Feedstuffs are rather soft. though the de-
mand is very good
Flour is firm but dull.
GENERAL COUNTRY PRODUCE
The produce market can be treated n a
few words this week. Most of the
staples. such as hay, beans, potatoes,
onions. hides, dried fruits AMI raisins are
simply dull, and that embraces all. Wool is
going off fairly and dealers now estimate
the carry-over stock at the end of the year
at not over 2,5O0.000 pounds. which means
that the spring clip Will come in on a practi-
cally cleaned-up market. Last year the
carry-over stock was 5000. 600 pounds.
Hops continue very firm and dealers re-
port trifing advance.
While raisins and prunes are quiet, the
most encouraging reports concerning the fu-
ture OF these products are being received
from New York, where the Commercial
Bulletin, In lengthy review, says:
Instead OF the heavy importat0ns OF raisns
anu bfuneS lndt nave Deel maze annually from
Spain, France Bosnia and Servia the business
IN these foreign products has been growing
steadily less the past few years, until IL looks
now as II California will in lime succeed In mo-
nopollZng the entire trade Of the country. The
fruit-grOwing industry on the Pacific Coast ha.
made wonderful progress, and II the same enter.
prise Is shown In the next few years foreign
ralsins and prunes VIII undoubtedly be- forced to
seek sale in markets other than the United
States.
Facts have proved that with the constantly In.
creasing crop on The Pacific Coast, coupled with
the Introduction OF the new style OF packing in
bags, the forcing OF goods against the sale OF I'M
ported has been rather easy matter. The
trade prices OF California this season have been
abnOrmally low. This fact certainly has as
Slsied The sale OF The home product. But on the
other hand, when the difference was less great
! between the imported aud domestic. the latter
stock In bags appeared TO have tile decided pref
eIence.
On prunes, tile Bulletin says: The importa-
ton OF French have steadily declined since the
Introduction OF the California growth, and there
Is no reason 10 doubt hat eventually the latter
Will control the markets of this country.
Beef is still higher and in demand. Nut
ton and lamb are firm, but hogs are rather
easy.
GROCERIES AND PROVISIONS.
Imports of grocery staples at this port
| during the first eleven months of 1891 com.
| pared with the same period In 1890 were "a
| follows: Sugar BOG, $4,000 pounds, against
299, 1el 900; coffee p, 260,2I0 pounds against
1906, SEQ; rice ~, DDS, 500 pounds, against 49,
| O1t+uOO GtdD, TOO OoO pOull5, against OUo, lUU
The demand for the staples Is fair and
| prices show no marked variations. Coffee
] is quiet and steady. Sugar is rather dull
| than otherwise and prices have not varied
| for some time. Rice sells fairly. Pruvi.
| sions are reported unchanged and excep-
/ tionaily dull, even for this time of the
| year. Canned fruits and salmon share the
| general inactivity. Some brands of candles
| are lower.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Merchandise as a rule is dull and will re.
main so until after the turn of the year. A
fair demand for cigars is reported, but to-
| baccO is quiet. The inquiry for dry goods
| is not what it should be in the early winter,
nor has the fall trade been up to its usual
| average.
Eastern boiled and raw linseed oils are
| marked down Y cents per gallon all round
White lead is lower.
The coal market is kept clsgGed, and
| wharf and yard room is scarce. The
weeks arrivals were 10 100 tons foreign
and 3555 tons coast. A local circular saws
Those in tile trade may well feel pleased at the
| light arrivals from our northern Mines rs full
| shipments from that section. combin ed with The
! large foreign deliveries, would have aided The
| further decentralization OF the market. With the
present excessive stocks In yard, aud low prices
! now ruling. our northern colliery managers can
| not probably market their output. ana musl
prudcnily reduce Ihrir shi ments for the pres
| ent The coal list Is gradually diminishing, as
| there Is moi over one new name listed for every
/
for yard and VIII arr room Is over, there should bt
an Improvement In values. When dealers com
meuce making inquiries for their further require.
| ment for deliveries in April or May next, they
| viii find marked variance between future and
| present figures, fully 81 per ion, which may
| eventually prove 20 be considerably mOIe.
| Foreign imports at San Francisco during
the first eleven months of 1891 were S49,-
0SSC0O against $40, 1874, 900 during the same
| period in 1890. The imports last year were
unusually light Two years ago the amount
was S47, 22S, 700. We are nearly IS, 600 0O(
ahead of that total this year. We have re-
ceived 4,3o0 GOO more from Japan this yeaI
| than last year and S1,600,000 more from
! China and Hong-Kong.
| Nails are weak at Il decline of 10 cents to
! 20 cents per key.
| Iron is considered one of the best barome
! ters of the condition of the trade. The Bos
| ton News Bureau of December LIST says:
| Representatives OF the leading iron-mills say,
that orders and contracts are now In for nearly
| 600 900 tons OF rails deliverable In 1892. This
Is nearly three times as large as were the orders
one year ago. Price is held firmly at $50 al
which there is fair profit.