Omaha daily bee., 1897-04-18
OF OMAHA'S TRADE
Jobbar5 Do a Fair Business, but Gould Do
More if Necessary.
COUNTRY COLLECTIONS ARE IMPROVING
Encouraging Signs in the Horizon
give Promise of Better Times
Bank CienrinEs Larger Than
Last Yenr-LIve stock High.

lethargic condition of the trade and
commerce Of the country continues. No
doubt progress is being made In special d.
rections, but as a rule every Kind Of busi-
ness is dun, and so long as that continues
to be a fact it Is needless to look for any
very great change in the business situation
in Omaha.
1t can be said that in local affairs there
has really been no change of Importance
during the past six days. As spring add
vances, business without doubt broadens
to a small extent, but nothing like a gem
erous revival is observed anywhere. Bust
ness men, however, appear to be quite conf
dent that this developing tendency will in
crease in "A moderate way month by month
as conditions in the country improve.
AS "A general thing the jobbers of Omaha
report a very fair business doing, and some
houses appear to be quite busy, but there
are very few but what could do more with
out any very great exertion, If the business
was to be had.
The present condition of affairs is, how
ever, quite encouraging. First of all there
is the fact that business has already shown
Improvement, which of itself is most en-
couraging. But above all else Is the knowl-
edge that the country tributary to this
market is gradually getting into better
shape as money becomes more plentiful
from the sale of farm crops and live stock.
Just at present live stock is doing more
than all else to solve the question of money
scarcity in this part of the country, as
prices are quite high as compared with "a
year ago, and high as compared to the cost
of the feed. Where Ii was possible to Sc
cure stock to consume the corn the farm
ers have done exceedingly well. as the
profits in feeding cattle, hogs and sheep
have bech most satisfactory, and SO much
better than IA year ago. The money de-
rived from the sale Of live stock IS what Is
as the Omaha jobbers.
In Omaha the general situation as regards
the retail trade has not shown much i'm
the weather has been largely responsible
for this, as proven by the fact that on
pleasant days the streets have been gem
orally crowded and trade quite brisk. IN
fortunately for the retail merchants. un-
pleasant days have predominated, and 1t
was not unt!. near the close of the week
that the Weather was of a character calCu-
lated to stimulate free buying.
WHAT BUSINESS MEN TALK ABOUT.
1t is really surprising how much interest
business men take in the subject of beet
sugar, and not "A few are looking to that as
the solution of the question MS to manu-
featuring In Nebraska. There has always
Omaha that there was a most urgent need
of manufacturing industries in this part
of the country 20 furnish employment to
labor, which in turn would consume the
products of the soil and make "a market
for merchandise. 1t is a recognized fact
that while a factory can be built in most
"iS 'N'illAN ~ 10 " SUN ai easy lltNl
to find a sale for the goods produced at
remunerativc prices. Most every branch of
manufacture is already well represented
farther east and largely by Old houses that
have by long years experience built up a
solid business that cannot be easily taken
away by a new and inexperienced western
manufacturer.
There is one branch of manufacture, how
ever, that Is not overdone, and that is
IS many times in excess of the production
in this country, and there is always a
steady demand so that the manufacturers
knows what to depend upon. Even in the
states having sugar factories the produc-
tion is below the local consumption.
There seems to be a general feeling that
industry. having both the climate and the
soil that Is adapted to the growth of the
seems to take very naturally to the crop.
large capital is required for the con
struction of beet sugar plants, and that is
the one thing that seems lacking in Ne
braska at the present time. Nebraska, by
reason of its central location. is well cal
culated to make a success of this industry,
as it is within easy shipping distance of a
large population that consumes vast guam
titles of sugar yearly.
BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.
1t is highly probable that at the present
moment there Is no industry in the country
that Is attracting so much attention or that
the public takes so much interest in as the
cultivation of the sugar beet. From all sec
tions of the country, east as well as west.
come reports of beet sugar conventions, ex-
l'l llli'lllull NlDIS dlll DlDlllStl companies
for the erection of factories. In almost
every state from Florida to Washington
beet sugar Is being talked.
1t may be of interest in this connection to
note the actuni progress made and for that
purpose the following list of factories al
ready completed and In course or construc-
tion III given:
Tactoliss in QaRerationmWestern Beet
Sugar factory, Chino Valley; Alameda
Sugar company. Alvarado, Cal; Norfolk
SnDnr fnnNnlnU (srl nd leland Nnh IrIl,,
Sugar CONF egmran ,yS'GLs sRl, GtIG%akS;; o, X NJ Enp &ian
Approaching Compietlon-Romc Sugar fac
tory. Rome. N. y; Wisconsin Beet Sugar
SsG@n"" 70, M HiSmi'Ss. Gals cal. Wis., A'"mitoS
Proposed Factories-Omaha Sugar fac
tory. South omaha; Salinas Sugar factory.
That tho production of sugar In the
United States Is bound to increase rapidly
capitalista has been drawn to the subject is
generally admitted in all well informed
sugar circles, Eastern commercial jour
competition that must be met by the Sugar
trust In the near future as q result of the
far none Of tho sugar masnates are known
to be Interested In any beet sugar factory
except Claus Shpreckels, who is a heavy in
weston In California plants.
WORRIES THE SUGAR TRUST.
The feature of the business that Is said
70 be worrying the Sugar trust people is
tne Wlut spread interest IN Dcet sugar and
the probability that factories In the near
future viii be located in nearly all of the
states Of the union, thus making 1t possible
for the beet sugar factories TO sell their
product near at home at n great saving
in freight charges. The Sugar trust. being
compelled to ship sugar long distances to
its relineries and back again to the con
sumers, would be at n great disadvantage
from competition OF that character.
The following figures will show the total
production of beet sugar in the United
States from the first inception to the pres
ent date.
1890, a few hundred pounds; 1917. none;
1889, 1900 pounds; lS33-62, mono; 1861
tons per annum; KS, POO tons; 1873. leo
tons; 1850, 500 tons; 1SSI... less than 500
tons; 1888. 5a5 tons; 1854, 953 tons; iSS5, 500
tons; 1856, 500 tons; 1887, 255 tons; 1883, 1910
tons; 1889, 900 tons; 1890, $500 tons; 1891,
5,359 tons; 1892, 1901 tons; 1898. 20, 463 tons:
1894, 2o,4i3 tons; 1898. 10000 tons; 1896. 40, 1000
tons, estimated,
AS the estimated consumption of sugar
In this country is placed at 1000, 900 tons per
annum, II Is evident that there is plenty
OF room for the further development of the
be any danger OF the business being over
done for some time to come.
The following table, which shows the
total consumption of sugar per capita in
the different countries of the world, will
also be of interest AZ throwing still further
light upon the subject;
Country. 1895. Lbs. Ibs
Germany ......,........... l.G5O.G coo s67S 2a56
Austria ....."........,. 43.456, 100 1881 1906
ulHFa m IA nNn n 4.