The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-11
WholennIe Groccries.

Wholesale Groceries.
The wholesale grocery trade for the COM
mercial year just past was far from being
all the merchants could wish. There were
many adverse circumstances that depress-
ed the business. After the opening of the
season, last September, the price OF cot
ton steadily fell lower and lower, ana
trade became very dull Debts, which had
been contracted during the previous sum
mer and early fall, We're not easily hqul-
dated, with cotton selling at about 412c
i'm the interior were compelled to have nee
essary articles in the grocery line TO keep
moving. The wholesale merchants TOOK
chances on times getting better ana ex-
tended credits. There was a fair amount
of business done up to the beginning or
the current year, but collections contln-
ued unusually slow and many losses were
sustained.
A serious blow to the trade was the
freeze in Florida The merchants of Sa-
vsnnah had done an extensive business IN
that state expecting that the fruit crop
would enable debtors to readily nquidate
their accounts. The destruction of the en-
tire crop of oranges, pineapples, etc, crea-
ted almost panic in the Land of Flowers,
and caused a great loss to the wholesale
merchants who had extended credit in that
section. Thousands of dollars remain
charged on the merchants books, with very
little hope of the accounts ever being set
tied.
While the total amount of business done
during the past year, in the grocery trade,
was quite large, the losses were equally
so; consequently the years business Is
unsatisfactory. The bright prospect OF
the merchant announcement.
Prices ruled low throughout the year.
The leading articles, such as Provisions
flour, grain, sugar and canned goods,
were never so cheap. little squirt IN
wheat during the past summer, sent the
price of -four up, but 1t did not hold long.
Coffee was the only article in the trade
that held high during the year. The eX-
cellent summer fruit crop in Georgia les
sened the demand for canned goods, but
more sugar was sold, to be used for pre-
serving purposes. Butter and cheese rul-
ed low in price and the sales in these ar
ticles were larger than usual
There was a heavy increase in the sales
of tobacco, but the cigar business was cur
tailed to a considerable extent; Prices for
these articles experienced no change. The
liquor business was quite large during the
fall, but after that the distribution was
much less than it had been for long
The outlook for the coming year is of
most encouraging character. The inte-
rior merchants and farmers are in better
condition than they have been for years.
The present crop of cotton, which promises
to be large in the territory tributary to
Savannah, was raised at the least posi-
BILE cost, and the price is confidently ex-
pected to be better than 1t was last year.
Another encouraging feature is the lxnowl-
edge that the farmers have raised more
corn and other food products than ever
before, and consequently will have more
ready money to pay up their debts and
buy what they neeu.
DRY GOODS, HATS AND SHOES.
The opening of tne last business year
was quite promising for dry goods, in
compa rison with the year that had just
ended The general revival of business
was beginning to be felt, and the dry
goods trade was looming up along with
other lines. But there were breakers
ahead The great freeze in Florida came
along at a most inOpportune Time and
blighted the trade for the whole year.
Up to that time sales had been in TAR
volume in the orange growing section
of Savannah's territory, but afterwards
collections were difficult, and in some in
stances impossible. In so far as volume
of business is concerned, the jobbers
probably did as much as they expected to
do. Jobbers and retailers had both
learned through the previous season, and
during the panic, to buy as little as pos
sible, and they followed up that rule
during last year. Sales were more upon
a basis of actual necessities, and the ma
jority of the goods handled were the sta
pie articles. Fine and fancy goods were
handled only to a limited extent. 1t can
probably be said, too, that there was
less of the long credit business, and the
extended time business, done last year
than for a number of years. Jobbers
hesitated to grant exceptional time, ana
purchasers did not seem to want such
accommodation. During the year the
movement of stocks continued to be in
the right direction for the eventual bet
terment of the trade. Old stocks were
worked down low, and new goods were
not rushed into the markets too fast.
The result is that now, when times are
improved and all lines of trade are feel
ing the thrill of new life, the dry goods
trade is prepared with new lot OF fresh
goods and up-to-date patterns to supply
all wants. Mills are working on time at
advanced wages, and the tendency of
the markets is towards hardening. The
effects will not be felt so much by con-
sumers, except in a few lines, for some
time, and maybe not at all. In silks
there has been some advance in prices,
and some cotton fabrics are little
higher but not much The volume of
business done last year by Savannah job
bers was probably some smaller than
the year before. The outlook for the cur
rent year, however, is so encouraging
that the trade is not inclined to grumble
if they could only make back collec-
The boot and shoe trade has been what
NAV be called fair, considering all of the
circumstances. The bulk of the business
up to last year had been on orders with
bills dated a long ways ahead. There was
less of that kind of thing done last year
than before. 1t may be that the shoe men,
with admirable foresight, foresaw the adj
vance in shoes and all leather goods and
preferred to keep stocks within sight I'M
til the shoe business had settled down to
hard-pan again. 1t seems to have got
there now and the trade is moving along
as smoothly as heretofore. Savannah's
territory in the shoe trade is pretty well
defined and there are never any violent
fluctuations in the demand
What IS true of dry goods and shoes,
generally speaking, Is true also of the
hat trade except that there has been no
sharp advance in hats, as there has been
in wholesale shoes. Few hats have been
carried over by Savannah jobbers for two
or three seasons, consequently the stocks
are fresh and hobby, and the merchants
are making preparations TO DO TINS year
more business than they have done since
Cleveland went out of office after his first
administration