The herald., 1896-01-23
Dun & Co.'s Review OF Local
Trade Conditions.
ALL JOBBlNG LINES QUIET
Transportation Facilities are Needed
by the Oil Producer
What With Damage by Frost and Demora!-
ized Market, the Orange Grower
Feels Rather Blue

r. w. Burnham, manager for r. G Dun
& Co., furnishes the following review of To-
cal trade conditions:
Jobbing in all lines is quiet, collections
slow. Annual clearance sales in retail
lines are in evidence, but the inclement
weather holds the volume of business
light.
Money is scarce, banks are boarding
their gold, currency is reported to be
at discount in San francisco. An easy
money market is not expected until the
bond question 10 out of the way.
The combination of the oil men to ad-
vance the price of crude oil seems seems to
offer some encouragement to the oil pro-
ducer, but an increased demand is the
surest way to advance prices. Only means
of Transportation to northern cities or the
establishment in Los Angeles of manufac-
turing industries can pnt the oil industry
~On firm basis.
The rain has relieved the anxiety of the
farmer and materially frightened his
prospects, but the orange grower is experi-
encing hard fortune. Damage by frost and
demoralized eastern market makes the
present situation a little gloomy. Ship
ments have almost entirely ceased. There
Is a fair supply of choice oranges and there
is disposition to hold them until they will
COlliiutuQ Il Doetoi PilCS.
Failures for the week in the district, six;
liabilities approximately $4,000; assets
nominally $500.
Dried Fruit Market
Locally there is nothing doing in dried
fruit, though some movement is confident
ly expected to manifest itself before the
close of the monsh. There is considerable
stock left in the hands of producers, chiefly
49,
Post makes the following review of the
prune market, which gains added interest
from the fact that with the exhaustion of
the prune stock, the demand for peaches
and apricots may be expected to increase.
According TO the Post, up to January l,
1896, the shipment of prunes from San
Jose for the season of 1895 amounted to
35,O00,O00 pounds as Santa Clara ship
ments. Of this quantity probably at least
100000 pounds had been shipped in
here from outside points, leaving 80, ,O00,-
600 pounds as Santa Clara shipments.
The original estimate of the crop of 49,
100000 pounds has been reduced, and it
is now generally conceded that the crop of
1895 will not be over 3S,000,000 pounds.
This leaves on hand 3,000,O00 pounds, or
say 125 cars, not over 20 of which are in
the growers hands, the balance being held
by the packers.
All outside districts are we'll cleaned up
and there is practically nothing left in the
growers hands. AS far as stocks are con-
cerned, the position of prunes is certainly
very strong at this time at this end.
The middle and western states have not
been heavy purchasers SO far, and under
the circumstances there is no reason why
there should not be material advance of
present prices.
The stocks here are being held very firm
by the packers, none of whom have any
more than they will need for their spring
trade At adVancad nrlpaS the nrndIIct
ought to find a ready market.
France and England have consumed
about 175 carloads of Santa Clara prunes
since last November.