The morning call., 1891-03-25
CONDITION OF TRADE.
Satisfactory Movement Of Mer-
chandise and Produce.
Advance in Flour and Wheat-Furthsr Gain
in Bank Clearings-New Wool Arriv-
ing-Provisions Advancing.


but of the aggregate movement there is no
cause for complaint The outlook Is en-
couraging, confidence in the future is gen.
era money is in ample supply at fair rates
Of interest aud the whole situation. in fact,
is cheering.
The gain in local bank clearings con-
tinues, those last week being SIG 96S. 7S5, as
against Sl3, 473, 029 for the same week i'll 1890.
THE CEREAL MARKETS.
Flour has been marked up 10 to Is cents
per pound to correspond TO the increased
price of wheat.
Wheat weakened few days ago, but at
the close has made a pronounced advance,
sympathetic with rise in the English mar
kets.. There is not much business, how
ever, as offerings are light and buyers are
not particularly eager TO purchase.
Barley is steady and in fair demand at
81 3712 per GENITAL, average, for good feed.
Oats are quiet and prices have exhibited
no noteworthy variation since last review.
Receipts and offerings are moderate.
Corn is dull and prices have declined
slightly during the week. The high prices
have cut the usual demand down 10 almost
nothing.
Rye is dull and unchanged.
Bran and middlingS are in satisfactory re-
quest and prices have made no pronounced
change since last week.
GENERAL COUNTRY PRODUCE.
Hay is steadier, and the weakness OBJ
served at the close OF last week is not visible
at the moment.
Beans are reported shade frmer, but the
market is inactive and featureless.
Large outward shipments of potatoes are
being made, but the market is so heavily
supplied that prices do not improve.
Onions were lower last week, chiefly
owing to the arrival Of 2557 cases from Aus
tralia, but are higher again at the close.
Butter is still in fair demand but the
shipping inquiry is by no means as sharp as
last week. Prices, however, are slightly
higher than at the date of tina last review.
In the meantime the New York market has
declined.
Cheese is steady with moderate supplies
at unchanged prices.
Eggs are higher than at the last report and
the market Is fairly steady.
Dried fruits are reported dull on Eastern
account, with moderate local inquiry
PruneS have dropped cents per pound in
France, but that does not materially affect
the New ork market, which has been I'M
der the parity oil the French market for
some time.
Raisins in bags are meeting with an i'm
DION INK uCLuduu III NCM OIh, Dub DUASQ
raisins are largely offered and neglected
there, and the local market is depressed and
lower n sympathy.
Brazil nuts continue to decline owing to
The approach of the new crop. Otherwise
there is nothing new in nuts
Hops continue nominal and dull. Late
mail advices from New York say:
The market is only gradually recovering from
Its letbaTgy. There have been 500 bales Of hops
exported this week 10 Glasgow and London
N =
bales having been bought within the last ten
days. The English market seems weak, though
rather as regards the absence OF transactions
than indicating any change IN values.
Small lots of new spring clip wool are
coming in, but the market Will hardly be
established before April 1st. Owing to the
lack of rain in the northern districts the
southern clips are dirty and greasy, while it
is exneeted that the northern clips will be
bright and clean. This spring wool is COM
ing on well cleaned-up and firm market,
and dealers say that all signs are favorable
for good prices and satisfactory trade this
spring.
The meat market shows some changes.
Lamb is lower and mutton is also easier.
Beef is firm at unchanged quotations.
Calves are weaker. Live hogs are scarce
aud still higher, while dressed are lower,
presumably owing TO the arrival OF frozen
dressed hogs from the East.
Our wine exports continue TO steadily
increase. Those by sea aud rail from this
port during the first two months Of the year
were l, 40S, 200 gallOus, valued at Sj90,000
against LIPS, 500 gallons at S479, $50 during
the corresponding period last year.
GROCERIES AND PROVISIONS.
Beyond fractional advance in yellows,
sugar has shown no change since last re-
view. Business continues small, as pur-
chasers, fearing drop of cents per pound
April lst, buy only from hand to mouth.
The imports of sugar from the Hawaiian
Islands this month are in excess of any pre-
ViouS month on record. During the first
twenty days of the month 81, 425, 600 pounds
came IN from this source.
Coffee is perforce quiet, owing to scanty
stocks here 10 work on, and the market Is
shade easier.
As a rule rice is firm, though Chinese
mixed Is lower. Island rice has been very
strong lately,
Provisions are firmer in sympathy with
advancing Eastern markets and a general
advance in smoked meats is looked for.
Eastern frozen hogs are now Offering as Cal
if0rnia pork IS scarce.
Canned fruits show no new features be-
yOnd some inquiry for futures and already
sales are reported on this account ut ~ to
10 per cent over the opening prices in 1890
Business in this line is not general, however.
Canned salmon is steady and in moderate
demand.
MISCELLANEOUS
The leading brands of stove polish are
lower.
Tobacco has been very active during the
past week or ten days, and prices rule firm,
though no advance has occurred. Cigars are
in fair demand.
Dry goods are selling well.
Coal continues IN large supply, though re-
ceipis have lately fallen off. Fearing glut
later on some dealers have ceased ordering
for future delivery, and this leads some OBJ
servers in the trade to apprehend a scarcity
few months ahead. As one prominent
wholesaler and Importer remarked several
days ago: The trade either gluts the mar
ket or let's it get bare through overcaution.
Thus, IN the coal business, it is first feast,
then a famine and so on ad infinitum." The
present condition of the coal market Is
rather more favorable to sellers as the glut
of two or three weeks ago is over. and it is
no longer necessary to throw cargoes on the
market at a loss. Still there is abundance
OF coal on the market and the tone is not at
all firm by any means. A local circular says
Contracts are reported to have been made for
some for egn grades. deliverable here late this
year at a shade less than last weeks price.
Most OF the sales OF futures speculative, the
sellers anticipating freight rates to reduce so
that they may be able TO cover. The same policy
was adopted last year, and II proved very costly
TO the vendors TO ascertain they guessed incOr-
rectly. Everything looks very promising for
coming harvest, yet there are several possibili-
ties that may occur in the Interim, that will up
set all calculations. The probable profit against
the possible loss on these contracts makes these
Transactions extra hazardous Ths last cabled
reports from Australia report a lively demand
for tonnage there to remove their grain crops,
hence coal tonnage was not freely offered for
this port. British Columbia arrivals for do
nestle uses are in demand at full figures.
Tin plate has sold freely OF late, but block
tin is dull. Quicksilver continues depressed
and nominal.
Linseed oil is lower again.