Omaha daily bee., 1893-10-01
CONDITION OF OMAHA'S TRADE
Collections at the End Of the month Not
Quite So Good.
MONEY is BECOMING FAR MORE PLENTY
Jobbers Generally Anticipate An Active
Trade for the Balance of the Year as
Retailers Must Have G~uods-Pros-
poets in the Country.

It can hardly be said that the past week
has seen any very great change in the situa-
tion as regards the jobbing trade OF Omaha.
Business revived, or commenced TO revive,
about the first Of the month, and gradually
assumed fairly large proportions and has
now settled down to a steady thing. When
business has about reached it's normal condi-
tion an Improvement cannot be looked for
every week, but it is enough to ask that it
hold its own. Business is probably as large
now as could be expected under the condi-
tioDs prevailing in the country, though, TAX
ing all lines together, the volume OF trade is
not up TO what it was n year ago. 1t would
be unreasonable, however, to expect that it
would be, as a year ago the conditions were
all favorable ands everything tended to
encourage liberal buying. The Wholesale
trade of last fall was something phenomenal
and two such seasons in succession could
hardly be expected. Comparing the present
season with two years ago no occasion will
g be found for fault finding with the present
volume of business.
Jobbers in different lines look at the stu
alton from different points of view and
hence it is nothing unusual TO hear men
equally well informed give expression to di-
ametrically opposed IDEAS. Some who look
upon the darker side OF the question point to
the depression of the wool and silver indus
tries of the western states and estimate that
IL they get % per cent of last years business
in those states they will be doing well. They
also point to the short crops in some parts Of
Nebraska, and they do not see much encour-
agement in South Dakota, so that they do not
have much hopes of making up for the loss
of business in the so-called silver states. On
the other hand, jobbers who have travelling
men in all parts of the territory, and are
equally well informed. say that there
are a good many interests besides
silver and wool in the western
states, and point to the agricultural
and stock raising industries and maintain
that IN spite of the silver question there is
going to be Il good business in those states.
The people, they figure, will have money
enough ut least to buy all the necessities.
These same iobbers also sayithat while there
have been short crops in some sections of
Nebraska the state as a whole was never in
better condition and they give vent to the
same opinion as regards Iowa and South
Dakota.
After hearing both sides it looks very
much as if the subject hinged on the qucs-
tion of necessities and ~luXuries. The job
bers handling necessities have every reason
for anticipating Il good trade in all parts of
the country tributary to Omaha, as there is
no section where the people are too poor 10
buy all that they really require TO carry
them through the winter. When it comes to
the question of luxuries it is very doubtful
If the volume Of trade viii compare with
that of u year ago. Money is not so plenty
as 1t was Il year ago in the western states
aud many of the so-calied luxuries will have
to be left on the shelves of the merchant.
Even If money was as plenty as it was II year
ago the people of the country have been
taught n lesson in economy that they will
not forget for at least six months and there
will be Il natural tendency TO buy less freely
for a while at least.
This very tendency is being noticed at the
present time by Omaha jobbers. Goods that
sold freely Il year ago, but that are of such a
nature that they can be dispensed with In
case of a pinch, are going slowly, and the re-
~ fa,1o,sc ., AZ cip - hnir p,.lnru amt Jnrr, ~,
amount of such goods on their lists. This is
evidently a season when the jobber of ne
cessities will have the best of the trade.
The grocers during the past week have
had Il very active business and have had
about all they could do to keep up with the
orders. In proof ofthis assertion one of the
leading joDbers exhibited forty solid pages
OF orders as the work of one man on a three
weeks trip in a section of the country that
has been loudly advertised as "busted."
The grocery market is very firm. The in
creased demand for goods in the grocery
line all over the country has raised The ideas
OF holders and the tendency is upward on
the leading lines.
There was "A good, steady trade in the boot
and shoe line all the week until Fridays
rain gave more snap to business. Orders
poured in from all over the state for rubber
goods and there WAS quite a boom in that
line. The rain appears to have been quite
general and will no doubt start up a good
many retail dealers who have been delaying
their orders.
The dry goods business has been active
and Tho local iobbcrs have heen fo,,cot 10
yyorl, some Of thoir man over limo i, ordor w
m orders ms fast as tbey came IN The drv
goods business wnsnt , stnnIstiu ali snm'
mer and dealers MI over The vest ,,n thair
STOCKS down IN tho Invest notch noss;hIa
They mt off buylng their winter Goods nost
the usual time and they ara now forced 70
stool, mn ncnin md in a hurry too A. ra'
suIt Tho dry goods iohhers have done n n
enormous business The mast month NJ
than thnt they nnpoar Tn have grea, conr
dence that there will he an active trade tho
balance of the vear in their line WV
Thr bnra ware limo mnno f, ra;r rooor, ,b,
mast yveel, thouch there y,s NJ osnnciaiiu
now feature 10 Tho hnsinoss coods H.
esnecinliv seasnnnhIe nre in ho,tar ranI,asI
on account of he cooler ,yenrbor mo mor
ket noes NOT show nnv nnntnr;a, -
prices REMAINING in ahort the same mot5s'
Evervthing il very low and when The do.
mand hocomes octiye Mi ovc,. The co,ntr, !,
would be natural tn lnnl, for , stineninSS ~
values. INT when thc demand viii come e n
question. 80"
A few cool DAYS Mt the commencement of
the ,ycc, caused y little dem,ud fn, con, ,nd
~ - - w .o' r,'u
nno,J., -. ga - ~.
~ 'iiNi Wv ~ "ouiu hoV
De n surprise II prices were advanced very