Omaha daily bee., 1897-05-16
CONDITION OF OMAHA'S TRADE
Upward Tendency Distinctly Noticeable in
JObbing District,
COUNTRY COLLECTIONS CONTINUE GOOD
General Stocks of Merchandise Very
Low-NcbrnsSn 60 Enst
Less Thar In Former Seasons
South Omnhu Active.

The six days past have witnessed
still further progress in the upward move
ment noted the past few weeks and the
business situation of the city and tributary
country continues to improve. The gain Is
not especially rapid. but 1t Is constant, and
every indication would seem to point to a
continuance. Thus far the most marked
Improvement is to be found In jobbinG and
manufacturing circles, due to the fact tfht
the country was the first to experience an
easing up in money, due to the sale of farm
crops and live stock. The Improvement,
however, Is extending to all departments
of business and Is commencing TO be felt
by the local retail trade, which would,
under the condition prevailing in this city,
be the last to experience any marked re-
vival.
The country Is still very much disposed to
buy cheap goods. and the demand for higher
priced merchandise of all kinds Is very light
In all cases where II Is possible 10 MAKE
a cheaper and inferior article answer the
purpose desired. 1t Is only natural to eX-
pect, however, that the craze for cheap
goods Will gradually wear itself out as
money becomes easier and people feel that
they can afford to be a little more liberal
of the great quantity OF cheap goods that
are going into consumption the volume of
sales, as compared with previous years.
when higher priced goods were free sellers,
makes a very poor showing. 1t may also
DC aNutu t1al t1e ulT1cuiIy Oh Selling
higher priced goods at present constitutes
the most frequent cause o. complaint on
the part of manufacturers and 1obbers.
They are selling goods enough, but the only
trouble is that they are unable to sell the
kind of goods that they want to sell and
the kind upon which there Is some profit.
OUTLOOK FOR JOBBING BUSINESS.
The outlook for the jobbing trade of this
city Is certainly very bright, and 1T would
be a difficult matter to Imagine a con-
dition of affairs more promising than that
now at hand. During the panic years east
ern jobbers were scared out of this terri
tory, and western merchants were forced
to buy their goods nearer az home, as their
home jobbers were the only ones who had
sufficient confidence in the recuperative
disc on the usual terms of credit. The re-
suit was that the Omaha joDbers increased
with great r%apidity. Even during the
height of the dull times, wnen no one was
buying more than was. absolutely neces-
sary and when the whole western country
appeared to be trying to see how little 1t
was necessary to have In order to sustain
the number of accounts on their books.
Merchants who had been in the habit of
going east for goods suddenly found it to
their interest to buy nearer home.
Now, then, 1t is generally conceded by
those who are in a position to know that re-
tremely low, and that merchants in every
line have been doing business in IA hand-to-
mouth manner. 1t would FOLLOW then that
their books even a moderate increase in
the country consuming demann would bring
most swamp the jobbing houses. This Is
what a good many expect to see in the near
future, and some are already making
During the past three years Omaha job
hers have genstrated into nssw territory
from this point before, and have added still
further TO the number of buyers who seek
At Chicago business is very dull. No one
In Chicago attempts to dispute the fact,
due to the great shrinkage in the trade OF
that city west of the Mississippi river. IL
by the lakes will ever be able to regain its
lost prestige In this territory or whether
during the scary times viii be able to hold
what they have won.
Business at South Omaha continues in q
most satisfactory condition, receipts of
stock being liberal and the market favora-
BILE, As already pointed out in previous re-
ports the prices at which live stock is sell
Ing are netting the producer very hand
some profits, and there Is general satisfac-
stock business. or more especially the cattle
industry. appears to be just entering upon
high prices. The supply of cattle has been
gradually falling lower until all of a sud
cattle are becoming sea ce. and now they
all want them. If anyone had predicted a
few years ago, at the time of the cattle
in the shrinkage of cattle values, that Iowa
would be importing, stock cattle from
1897 he would nave been regarded as a fit
candidate for an asylum.
CALIFORNIA FRUIT SEASON.
The season for fresh fruit shipments from
California Is now near at nand, but 1t is
coming none too soon, as good apples are
coming scarce and high. and it would not
be long until there would be nothing but
that California fruits arc the most popular
of all that come to. this market. and the
time when there Will be n plentiful supply
Is eagerly awaited nv MANY npODla Same
people like apples. Others fancy oranges and
still Others crave small fruits, such as
strawberries, but every one enjoys Cali
fornla fruits, and the consumption of cher
rles, peaches, plums, pears and apricots
year,
For a city, of its size Omaha has always
and a good many carloaGs are disposed of
in the course. Of Il summer season.
The first shipments from California In
considerable quantities will be of cherries,
followed by apricots, then early peaches,
and pears, The season this Year is said 10
be about two weeks later than usual. but
the Sb STTp prSS ays s, to Q De y cGym nSHaddnG 1t no
forward, hut in very limited quantities so
far The first cherries of the season sold
The movement of fruit this season Is ex-
pected to be for the most part in refrig-
before. Heretofore fruit transported In re-
frlgerator ears has been sent on regular
trains, making usual, schedule freight time
to eastern cities. This season the Southern
Pacific has made arrangements for special
fast trains that will save several hours
time between Sacramento and ogden and
put the fruit into Omaha In a much fresher
so that they viii arrive here in time for
early morning deliveries instead of arriv-
Ing after the close OF the days market,
day.
Everything would seem to point to the
probability of there being n large supply
OF fruit at Omaha from the coast this sea-
son. and as large receipts usually mean
ralGnnnh HE nrilaA II Will hA within the rannk
of every ono desiring to buy.
Wheel Turn More RnpidIy as the