The morning call., 1891-04-08
The Rain as stimulant-The Sugar Market.
Good Prices for Cereals-Flour Higher.
Beef and Mutton Weaker

L
good wetting varying from a quarter of an
inch in the Fresno district to over an inch
in the coast and northern valleys. The
stimulus to trade given by this rain can
hardly be overestimated, for it means the
actual salvation of the crops in some dry
districts.
THE GRAIN MARKETS.
Experts of wheat from this port in March
we're 1854, 921 centals. VALUED at 81, 743, S64,
making total exports thus far this crop yearof
II, 1914, 754 centals. valued at S14, 403, 7S4 The
wheat market is very strong, owing to a
gradual advance in Europe. where most
countries report a discouraging crop out
look, as will be seen in the market report of
this issue. The California farmers stand a
fair chance to get q living price for their
wheat this year
Barley, oats and corn are all more or less
firm at the remarkably high prices, but none
of them exhibit any noteworthy features.
Rye is duh and unchanged.
Bran is easy.
vaneed from 10 to 20 cents per barrel to cor
respond to the rise in wheat.
GENERAL COUNTRY PRODUCE.
Hay is steady, despite the rain and the
approach of the new crop, and prices hold
up remarkably well.
Beans are quiet and beyond renewed firm
ness in whites and decline in liinas there
is nothing new.
Potatoes are unsettled. A few DAYS ago
white varieties advanced under light re-
ceipts, but at the close the market is lower
ell around, owing to more liberal arrivals.
Onions continue high.
Butter is very weak az a decline. Re
ceiptS are too heavy for the demand and the
market shows symptoms of getting clogged.
Cheese is also weak, but eggs are frmer
and in moderate supply.
Poultry has brought unusually high prices
during the past week, owing to light receipts
of California stock and no receipts at all of
Eastern.
About the only new feature to dried
fruits is demand for cheap, smail-> lied
prunes for the West and Northwest. Peaches
are literally offered, dull and weak.
Reports from New York say that the mar
ket for California raisins is improving.
However, there are 26S.000 boxes of Va
lencia raisinS in bond there waiting for
market, and though California ralSins are
fine and popular and sell on their merits
these large stocks of Valencas have more
or less effect on prices.
Hops are steady. Scattering bids are
made, but sales are firm and the market
lacks life.
Hides are weak and quiet. There is con-
siderable rivalry among buyers in the
country, but it is purely local and the result
of competition.
Spring wool is coming forward steadily
and sells readily at good prices.
Beef and mutton are a half cent lower.
Lamb is steady. Veal is weaker Hogs are
no lower, but the market is certainly no
irmer. Besides the Eastern dressed hogs
recently imported few car-lods of Eastern
hogs on foot have arrived, but for butchers
purposes California hogs are preferred.
GROCERIES AND PROVISIONS.
The 1st of April has come aud gone, and
those who expected decline of cents per
ket declining only q cents per pound in
whites, and actually advancing Z 10 x
cents per pound in yellows, so thus far
sugar is no cheaper now that it comes in
duty tree than when it raid tariff.
The private coffee circular of r. Hoch-
keller gives the receipts at this port during
the first quarter of 1891 at 47,045 bags,
against 50.221 bags during the first quarter
of 1890. The sales from fist hands were
1919 bags, against 35,548; the stock in first
hands April LIST was 1907 bags, against 49,
34S April !, 1890. The circular says:
Since our report OF the 2lst ult the market
has been almost al standstlll, dealers purchas-
ing in an extremely conservative way, fearing
that larger arrivals, both actual and prospective
Will have weakening effect on prlces-which 10
a slight extent has already been felt Tie quo
taIlOns given are merely nominal asking prices;
concessions would have TO be given 10 effect
The finer grades OF washed Guatemala are not
abundant aud for that reason are held with
some hrmness. Inferior qualities OF all descrip-
lions are scarce and sell readily. Business with
overland points has not been as brisk as for
merly, due. no doubt, TO The tame condition OF
the New York market.
In rice there are some changes, Hawaiian
being firmer. japanese lower and Chinese
irregular. The market is fairly stocked, ex-
cept with Hawaiian.
Provisions rule firm, and the advancing
tendency i'll hams, bacon and lard continues.
Cooked corned- beef and Eastern hams are
higher. Cattle throughout the West are
scarce and the trade generally looks for firm
prices for some time
Canned fruits are quoted dull, both on
spot and future account. Peaches are in
good supply, but apricots are scarce.
There is nothing new in canned salmon.
The Columbia River season opened April
1st and some sales on future account are re-
ported.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The private circular of L. Steuart gives
the receipt of coal at this port in March at
116,9S0 tons, against 6l.2l0 tons in March,
1890, and 81. 20 tons in March, 1885, For the
first quarter of the year the receipts were
quarter Of 1890 and 277, 49S tons in 1889. The
heavy receipts this year tell the story of the
coal market. The circular says:
The market for all grades OF coal during the
TRANSACTIONS
Ing foreign coal limited.
Plentiful supplies promised from the Coast
and British Columbia mines, while ships for
prompt loading in Australia are held al COM
parallvely high rates, but the cOnilnu.d favor
able prospects Tor good outward freights from
this port in the latter part OF the year will prob
ably cause lower quotations for future load
ing.
Goals from Great Britain are now obtainable at
favorable rates Tor the buyer.
There is nothing to add to the above re-
view, except that strikes were reported in
some of the northern mines last week, only
to be denied almost immediately.
Cigars are reported fairly a*t;ve.
A satisfactory trade in lumber, both for
export and local account, is going on at
rates lately ruling. The receipts of lumber
at this port during the first quarter of the
year, compared with the same quarter in
1890, were as follows: Pine, 1852, 900 feet,
against 46,595,000 feet; redwood, 50, SO 0, 900
feet, against SO, $4,000 feet; shingles, TO-
092, 900, against b. las, 000 railroad ties, 174,-
5S1, against 36S, $50.
Dry goods are in fair average spring de-
mand The imports OF foreign dry goods at
New York for March show a value of
So 723, 900. against an average of S12,500. 900
for the same mouth in 1889 and 1890 Owing
to heavy imports at the close OF 1890, due to
q change in the tariff, the receipts for the
first quarter this year have been small,
amounting to only S36, 500, 500, against $40
100000 in the previous two years and $50
$4,000 in 1883. The amount thrown on the
market for the first quarter this wear was
S36645,500 or S3,0O000O more than i'm
ported, showing good demand
Nut-oil is lower at 62h to Go cents per
gallon.
Collections for duties at the San Fran
cisco Custom-house during the first quarter
OF 1891 were 81. SSS, 600, the smallest showing
since 1887.
Specie exports from San Francisco during
the past quarter were So, 455,25O, against
S2,937, 300 during the same quarter last year.
Quicksilver is demoralized at s43 per
flask, sharp decline.