The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-01

this fall and we want them to do 1t
in this market. Our general business
is good and I found on my return home
that our shipping Office is so busy that
we will not be able to get out any OF
cur today's orders"
e. A. KonantZ, of the KonantZ Sad
dlery Co.-Our business so far this
year has been the best 1t has ever
been in the history of our establish
ment. AT the present time we are
away behind on our orders, and the in.
dications are that we will not be in
much better shape the balance of the
season. We recently added twenty-five
men to our force and had to bring
them from the East; we advertised for
help here, but there appeared to be
shortage of skilled artisans in our line
and we were obliged to go out of town
for them. We now have force of 100
men. Collections are extremely good;
I never saw midsummer collections so
good as this season. Throughout the
Northwest the retail merchants feel
much encouraged. The farmer is also
feeling good; he Is getting his debts
paid up and is in better shape than
he has been before for fifteen years.
All reports from travelling men and
customers are extremely f1attering, and
if the crop is harvested as the indica-
ticns point now, we will have the best
falls business We ever knew. Our
sales for July are 33 1-3 per cent better
than last year, and the orders for
winter goods already received are more
than during all last fall and winter.
There is no eXaggeration about this;
l have been giving a very conserVa-
tive opinion and estimate of our bust
ness.
Paul H. Gotham, of Gotham & Co.
Business is a great deal better with US
this year. Our factory has been run
ming full blast all summer, employing
600 hands. We also have larger force
of statesmen than last year. Every
body seems to feel better; that is the
general sentiment. Collections are
fair, as good as can be expected until
the crops are harvested. We have
never had so many orders for fall ship
ment as we have this year.
L. w. French of Kellogg, Johnson
& Co.-Our business is ahead of last
year; we had a good spring trade and
the fall trade promises to be better
than for a number of years. We have
increased our force of travelling men
and are carrying a big stock of every
thing in our line, in anticipation OF
the rush Of orders. Ordinarily about
this time of year the purchasers COM
mence countermanding their orders,
but this year they want the goods.
They are paying up promptly and
ing their bills. The country merchants
are now in excellent shape, financially;
the hard times weeied out the weakest
and 1t is a case of the survival of the
f1ttest.
D. R. Moves, of Moves Brothers &
Cutler-The outlook brightens daily.
In number our orders equal, if they do
not exceed, those in the flush times Of
1892; in amount they are improving.
From all sides we hear of good crop
prospects, though in a few limited
areas there has been some loss. Prices
all around are beginning to show
tendency to advance; in all goods af-
fected by the tariff, the advance has
al eady occur e1. The fats are TOW ali
in favor of better times and the feel
ing has been gaining strength daily in
that direction .JobberS' stocks are
large and all have been bought at low
prices in view of an almost certain
advance. Money is easy and cole ctions
from nearly all parts of the country
are ahead of last year at the same
time. In fact some parts Of the country
would not know that there had been
any hard times unless they had been
50 advised from outside. The number
of new stocks now being furnished is
an unfail;ng sign of confidence that
the good times are coming and soon.
The territory reached by st. Paul job
bing trade is constantly increasing and
has not yet reached its limit. If our
merchants and railroad lines are alive
to their own best interests (and they
seem to be waking up) we shall see
more business done in ST. Paul in the
latter half of '97 than ever before. To-
day there is room here and a fine
chance for new lines Of jobbing trade,
and more houses of capital and eXper-
fence in all the cider lines. The North
west is the place for such houses;
small ventures without capital can
hardly hope here or elsewhere to gain
a foothold just now.
Arthur B. Driscoll, of McKibbin &
Cove are very much gratified by
the better feeling evinced by all buyers
coming to market. Our statesmen all
report a much improved feeling among
the trade. We have substantial evil
dence of this by the handsomest lot
of orders for fall goods received for
several years, and are preparing for
large trade.
Richards Gordon, of Gordon & Fer
guson-Current business is active. Or
ders for fall delivery are in excess OF
any former year since '92; and pros
poets, Notwithstanding occasional dis
cCuraging crop reports, are encourag-
ing The general feeling is confident
and hopeful, and with the almost sure
prospect OF an ABUNDANT harvest, we
look for a busy and profitable fall
season. All the conditions political and
material are favorable to the advent
of an EZRA of prosperity"
Charming Seabury, of Seabury &, Co.
1t has been very lively in the whole
sale grocery line the past three weeks,
and is gradually increasing as the har-
vest approaches. The prospects are
very good from the country districts
except a small strip in the Red River
valley close to the river itself, and
with the present price of wheat and
other grains, I don't see why the fall
trade should not be very satisfactory
in all lines When we compare the
present situation and the good crop in
sight and the fair prices the farmer is
obtaining for everything he raises,
with the condition Of things a year
ago, when the whole country was up
set on the silver question, I don't think
we have anything to complain of. We
can hardly realize how very much dis
turbed all business and financial con-
dftions were year ago. 1t seems
very much like old times now.
E. A Young, Of Finch, Van Slyck,
Young & Co.-Trade is very satisfac
tory and prospects are good for
steady and healthy Improvement in the
future We have laid in a big stock
in anticipation of this Improvement.
which everything seems to indicate.
vol nd