The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-30
WHOLESALE TRADE
MANY LINES DID BETTER BUSINESS
IN 1894 THAN IN 1893.
Retailers Met Their bills More
ACCOMPLISHMENTS I'm Sales Of
Heavy Groceries.

The wholesale merchants have reached
a point where they can quite accurately
estimate the results from the business
transacted In the year that Is about 10
close. The grocers have suffered less the
last two years through the general depres-
sion in business than any other branch
unless IL be the confectioners- Inquiry
among the wholesale grocers shows that
in heavy groceries, such as sugars, coIees
and provisions, the sales OF 1884 were IN
excess not only OF 1893 but OF 1892 as Wei,
while in fancy groceries the sales OF TINS
year were fully up TO those OF 1888, but do
not foot up favorably as In 49, More
sugars, coffees and provisions were handled
in the last twelve months by the fourteen
wholesale grocers than in any former year.
The yearly exhibit of the boot and shoe
men is NO. as favorable as for 1893 or 1ss2-
The first half Of the year the falling be-
hind in volume OF preceding years was
marked. In the last half business was much
better, especially the last three months,
than in 1893, but not of sufficient volume
to overcome the deficit OF the first half
OF 1894. Leather dealers say their business
for 1894 was In excess of that OF 1893, es-
pecially has their business been satisfactory
since August.
The milliners, in summing up the years
business, find that 1t averages we'll with
1893 and 1892. This year there was a third
establishment of this character in the COM
petition. but the two old establishments
held their trade fully as well as had been
expected. There are but few branches OF
business in Indianapolis which have de-
veloped more satisfactorily than has the
millinery trade. In July and August the
dry goods merchants were blue. Trade was
slow and prices unsettled, but the last
four months they have had an excellent
trade. Prices did not vary much and the
dry goods will go out of the year
with sales aggregating up to the annual
average OF the last five years. The hard
months OF the year, but from July up TO
Dec. l there was more building going on
and ,b the demand for ,v an PER- b
business they did in 1892 and hardly up
to that of 1898.
The wholesale confectioners say it has
been the banner year in their business.
One reason is that they have reached into
new territory, another that they have in
creased the varieties of confectionery they
manufacture. The wholesale saddlery and
harness dealers have worked hard to keep
their business on a par with 1888, and say
they came near doing so, but Ii was con-
siderably below that of 1892 The last three
months they found decided improvement
in trade. The wholesale furniture dealers
had a bad year. They may have sold as
many articles, but the lower grade of
goods have sold the best. The failure of so
many furniture manufacturers and the
throwing of their goods the market at
extremely low prices, has been felt by the
dealers who have struggled through the
year to keep matters moving. Dealers in
fancy toys and like goods came out of the
year in fine condition, trade of the last
three months being large beyond precedent.
glassware report fair trade Owing to the
failure OF the fruit crop, the number of
r ssv wSf Il S Safy tb sss o
ware, especially cut glass, have been large
beyond expectations. and, being expensive
the sale of goods up to that of preceding
years Then, for fancy crockery. there has
been great demand.
Ii was poor year with the wholesale
whisky men, The times have been so hard
with the class of people who use such
liquors freely. that they have taken to
speak of their trade as improving Of late late.
Dealers in canned goods and dried fruits
have had ds trying try SssS Of Their goods
pie In moderate circumstances, when times
are dull. manage to get along without
and oranges and the low prices at which
they have sold in the last ninety days has
cut an important figure in decreasing the
Dealers in artistic goods. such as pictures,
frames, etc, have had a busy year, the
people who purchase this class of goods
being usually in circumstances that hard
times do not affect their purse.
There is one feature of the years bust
ness which deserves special mention. The
wholesale men state that they do not re-
member the time when the retail mer-
chants have closed the year with so few
bills outstanding against them having the
wear through paid for their goods with un-
usual promptness, showing that the good
crops OF wheat, oats corn and hogs raised
in Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. from which
the wholesale men of Indianapolis draw
the most of their trade, have been turned
into cash and the money put in circula-
ton.