Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-02
THEY ARE HOPEFUL.
RICHMOND MERCHANTS EXPECT Get.
TER TIMES m THE NEW YEAR.
cosieetieas Are Pretty Good and Larger
Ss'ss Are Anticipated In the Spring
Some Intsrssting ExprssslonA


the new year with renewed energy end
bright hopes Manufacturers and mer-
chants alike look forward to better times
and greater activity. Transactions during
The year Just closed have been conserva-
tive. and neither wholesale nor retail men
have allowed their stocks to accun. liate
unnecessarily. One OF the best signs of
the better condition OF things is the inn
provement in collections. out-of-town
merchants have bought cautiously, and
- n rule met their obligations promptly.
A representative In his rounds yesterday
asked great number OF merchants what
they thought Of the prospects for 1895.
and their replies are appended:
s. t. Hughes OF Drewry, Hughes Co.:
II is impossible to say anything just at
present concerning the outlook. 1t is
most too early for speculation.
Rolfe f. Glover: think the outlook Is
coed.
A. c. Young: lcok for better business
after the LIST. and think that the spring
will develop good trade.
w. l.. Slater: 1t is too early to say
n
good this year. but can't say anything
pro OF con yet.
c. l.. Todd: II is against the law for
man to say that 1t will be other .han
good. and II he says that he will at once
be a candidate for admission 20 the Ana
MAS club.
c. II. Simpson: We look for a better
year.
w M. Parrish: l think business would
coon adjust itself to the tarin law; but
in my opinion Il danger confronts US in
what Mr. Cleveland terms elastic cur
rency, which Is based on nothing. We.
however, have q better outlook than We
had this time last year.
N r. Savage: 1t is most TOO soon for
any progncstication. We all live In hope,
even II we die in despair. 1 think. though,
that business is gradually improving.
F. ID. Beveridge, Of Harvey Blair a.
Co.: / am neither a prophet nor con
Of a prophet. 1t IL always the unexpected
that Is happening.
Junius A. Hobson: The outlook is very
good.
]. ]. Hickok: The outlook. SO far as /
can see Is not satisfactory.
James d. Patton: The outlook Is very
good At least I think SO. There Is gen.
orally q better feeling.
Allen Donnan, The outlook In the cot
ton States Is not so good, and the sales
men ~ho travel that territory are ieaVihg
with much trepidation.
Joseph w. Blanton: I hope business will
be better. Trade appears TO be picking
up somewhat, and l think the prospects
are brighter.
+. II. Deane & Co: The indications are
for better trade this year.
a. Il. Clarke: live in hopes that the
trade this year will be an improvement
over that of last ] think the prices ana
demand will both improve.
Z. A. Saunders: i don't think the out
look Is very encouraging. 1t is true that
obligations are not so great, but i don't
see anything to stimulate business until
the laborers are more generally employed
though / do look forward TO healthy,
conservative business.
c. w. Antrim: can't see why business
shouldn't be a great deal better. and
think the outlook is for an improvement
Levin Joynes: think that the outlook
is exceedingly duh. 1t depends largely
on the satisfactory settlement Of the
currency question.
Charles H. Watkins: / think the de-
mand for goods will be larger, and yet
/ hardly know on what to base the
assumption. Orders have already begun
TO come in. Prices are very uncertain
yet an iron and steel goods.
Il. X. Roberts: j don't consider that the
prospects are very flattering. Trade in
Virginia and Carolina may be good but
that in the cotton districts will probably
be very poor. The retail merchants all
appear to be well stocked. but ] think
we will have a fair trade during the
spring.
Henry w. Wood: I think the outlook
is very good. The condition of the farm
ers is better than last year: the truckers
are getting better prices than for some
time before, ard the fact that more pecr,e
are now employed in the cities makes
the demand for produce greater. and
hence improves the seed business.
John ID. Blair: ! hope the trade will
be as good as at present, but i don't look
for much improvement.
George u. Thaxton am under the i'm
preston that business will be slow for
the spring trade The farmers are in
better condition than they have been for
gears. still I am of the opinion that
collections will not be as good. We are
making preparations for our usual trade
T.. w. Gates: l think the outlook is
very good, IL only the money question
could be settled. We want more elasticity
in the currency now than we have had
since the war.
Charles Davenport: think trade will
be brighter than in 1894 Certainly the
prospects are brighter.
w. s. Donnan 4 Co.: I think the peo-
pie viii continue TO do as they have been.
that Is. buying conservatively. Our trade
has been fair and steady hitherto, and i
anticipate the same for this year.
j. S. Moore: l don't think the outlook
Is very encouraging. I think that the peo-
pie will recover gradually from the panic
and business will finally become normal
j. II. Jeffress: ! can't form any concep-
ton Of the outlook. hope. however. that
II will improve.
l.. c. Younger: From all the informa-
ton can gather the people are less in
debt. That Is encouraging. and II the
farming class could realize better prices
for their produce We could expect de-
cided improvement In business Another
favorable indication Is that there are
more inquiries for agricultural lands,
especially in the cotton districts.
Ellison & Harvey: We are living in
hopes for brighter business.
w. II. Briggs & Brother: We don't
think that the prospects are very bright
Money Is tight, and collections are slow.
and produce Is selling low.
II. T. Alvey: The outlook at present Is
very slim. but we are in hopes of better
trades In the near future.
8. @. Fairbank: | hardly know what TO
say. but hope for brighter things in the
near future.
G. ". Saunders & Co.. We look for
ward 10 prosperous year.
ID. S. Harwood: / have just started in
the merchandise brokerage line on my
own hook. but from the interviews I
have had with the jobbers / consider that
the outlook for good business Is very
bright.
Writ +. Taylor & Co: I can hardly
say what the outlook Is. A good, long
spell Of cold weather like this will mate
rally improve business. II the same con-
servatism as prevailed during 1894 obtains
this year we will be able to do a good.
safe business. Values, we are satisfied,
have reached their lowest point.
John s. Harwood: j think the indica-
lions are for a better trade than last
year.
c. w. VIM: The outlook think is
very good.
Baughman Brothers: Our impression IL