Omaha daily bee., 1891-05-31
THE CONDITION OF THE TRADE
A New L.ase Of Life to be Given United
States Bonds,
A FAIR JcBBlNG BUSINESS IN OMAHA.
The Retail Merchants Generally Fol-
lowing Very Conservative Pol
icy in the Matter of Purchas-
ing Fresh Supplies.
A FAIR JcBBlNG BUSINESS IN OMAHA

The local financial situation Is devoid ot
any important changes. Local bankers are
Interested to some extent in the statement
that Secretary Foster will surely
Issue n circular by next Monday giving the
national banks that have ~ per cent bonds
deposited to secure circulation the privilege
OF having them extended within tho dscre-
tion of the government to draw = per cent.
The object of this is to accommodate the
banks which own about s!G,0O0,OOO ana have
them deposited here to secure their circula-
tion. The ~ per cent bonds become due
September and interest on most of them
has already been anticipated, being
paid during the recent string
ency to ease the money market.
This makes n new lease of lifo for the
bonds at per cent interest Improbable, but
IT will prove quite an accommodation to he
banks.
The national banks of Omaha have over a
million and quarter in United States bonds
ani should the secretary take the action out
lined above it will be of considerable import
ance to them.
THE WHOLESALE TRADE
of Omaha does not present any especially
new features. 1t Is about as good rs usual
at this season of the year and as general
thing quite satisfactory The number of
country orders received is quite large, but
they are mostly for "A small amount of goods.
The retail merchants seem dis
p0c1 p0s9d pursue Srdorng sHch e0Gseryasge
as are required to fill their immediate wants
and the wholesalers are inclined to encourage
them in this. AS a rule jobbers do not ex-
pcct to sec much change IN the situation until
after harvest, when, IL the crop proves to be
large there Iyill liKplV bp moro liDpral buVin
In fact If the crop should turn out to be heavy
and prices good they look for great activity
In all lines of business.
In the way of prices on staple goods it is
noted that wire nails arc easier and rope and
binding twine lower than they have been for
years. Some weakness is shown in canned
and dried fruits Of all kinds
In eastern distributing points no,oa
in the trade in domestic dry
goods In New York the number of buyers
in the market it is said has increased, and
among later arrivals were noted representa-
tives OF large firms, whose operations are of
considerable Importance always, and are
likely to be particularly welcome just now.
The demand preferred through the medium
OF mail orders has also expanded, being
larger in volume and of wider variety. Under
these circu instances it is not surprising to
find that the aggregate business for the
week has been in extent, of u satisfactory
character Some large lines of staple cottons
md under fall dating conditions, covering
brown, bleached and colored cottons. In
other directions the week has brought out
no new developments of Importance, business
In prints, wash fabrics, dress goods, etc.
moving steadily along on about previous
lines.
In the grocery trade in New York it comes
out occasionally that business IS still disap-
pointing to many of the trade and conSidera-
bly, below calculations based upon an assump-
tlon that actual necessities were too urgent
among dependent custom to permit Il standing
off to quite the extent resorted to of late.
In hardware, says the Commercial Bulletin
OF New York, there has been at least the for
mer average demand, and some of the trade
think possibly slight increase, but rs yet the
market fails to reach point of genuine and
stimulating animation. AS upon nearly ev-
cry other line of manufactured merchandise,
the absence OF non-SpeCulative feeling is
apparent, and when customers have filled out
and checked OIL their purchase memorandumS
1t is simply useless to seek from them any
further recognition, for the present at least.
Valuations have been bject to no influence
OF n pronounced character of late. ard former
quotations generally remain current
COUNTRY PRODUCE.
Perhaps tho most interesting feature IN
>the produce market is the high prices at
Which eggs have been selling, which is very
unusual at this season of tho year. All the
past week eggs have been going at l40pl5c
when l0c would ordinarily be considered a
good price. Eggs appear to be scarce all
over the country, hence the high prices
Butter is low to what it was early in the
spring, but no lower than was anticipated
for this time. The receipts are quite liberal,
and as the retail trade is largely supplied by
local daries, the most of 1t has TO go to the
packers They have been paying during the
past week S0lOc for good, sweet butter
e. The poultry market has been practically
without any changes for the past week or
more. Live chickens are in good demand,
and as not very many are coming they sell
quite readily at the prices. Other kinds of
poultry, as geese, ducks and turkeys, are in
light demand and no great number would
meet with prompt sale.
FRUITS.
Almost the whole interest in the fruit mar
ket has ccntercd in straw berries. The re-
ceipts of this fruit have been large, amount
Ing to from two to three cars per day. While
the demand has been good, it has not pre-
vented the market from being very low. IL
looks now as If the market had touched bot
tom prices aud dealers look to see more
strength in it. At the same time the quality
of the fruit has been greatly improved and
the present arrivals are very choice which
helps to make up the difference in price
Other kinds of fruits have been slow with
little doing. A few cherries are arriving
which sell quite we'll
CROP CONDITIONS
continue most favorable in all sections of
the west and the prediction that the Weld
would be unusually large seems in a fair way
of being verified, What is fully as impor-
tant rs tho prospective large crops is the
prospective high prices at which
these crops are likely to sell.
The reports from Europe indicate
that heavy drafts will have to be made upon
America for grain TO make up their de-
iiciency. In England the price of wheat has
gone up gradually until English rod, which
was quoted at BIS per quarter two months
ago, is now 42s, or los more than ut this
ume last year The increase in the average
price is not so large, but il is SIS per quarter
above the corresponding period last year.
Flour has risen in proportion, ana in turn the
retail price OF the four-pound loaf has gone
up half penny. This upward move
ment has been brought about by the
smallness Of the past two harvests
and the indifferent prospects of the coming
one, The accumulated stocks OF previous
abundant harvests wore so large that the de.
fCcuCes OF two years were ;uade good With
out the price being affected 10 any extnnt