The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-07
TRADE OF ST. PAUL
SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION FOR
THE WEEK ENDING
NOV.
OUTLOOK is FAVORABLE

Collections Are as Free as Could
BE Expected - Representative
Jobbers I'm the Several Lines Out
line the Local Status OF Business
Prices Firmer In All Lines of
Dry GoOds-IrOn Active
The following summary embodies the views
or representative jobbers in the several lines
indicated respecting the trade conditions and
outlook in ST. Paul:
DRY GOODS.
Prices are hrmer in all lines Of dry goods.
Silks, woolens and cottons that have been
sold in the past at less than cost TO manufac-
ture are all on a frIner basis Sorting Up
orders, while not large are more numerous
than ever before
me ADVANCE orders for spring are the
largest they have ever been. Collections are
fair, considering the wretched condition of
the country roads
GROCERIES.
Trade this week shows quite an Improves
ment over the latter part of October, presum-
ably on account of cessation Of the prolonged
rainy period. Reports from the northwestern
part OF North Dakota are that roads have
been impossible. and threshing stopped Dy
rains, which were almost continuous for three
weeks. Everything is now normal again and
both orders and collections are better this
week. and promise a satisfactory November
Taking all things into consideration Mime
sofa and adjoining states whose trade is
tributary to st. Paul. show a very satisfactory
Improvement over past years. Farmers are
enabled to dispose Of all their produce at
good prices, and the new departure of the
western farmer In diversifying his products
has been the means of circulating more
money among that producing class Groceries
are firm and present values are likely to
be sustained during the Nall season.
HARDWARE.
The iron and heavy hardware business for
the past month has been very good This Is
particularly true with the numbering business
There is going to be large cut in the woods
this winter. and loggers are buying Norway
iron, steel. chain. McLaren sled knees, exes,
saws and other goods very freely. Prices are
very low. without much prospect of an adj
vance Freights will advance about the mid
die of the month, on account Of the closing OF
lake navigation, and will Increase the cost
or iron and heavy goods trife. Lord Wards
chain has advanced cent pound.
BUTTS AND SHOES.
The weather during the past two weeks has
stimulated trade in shoes at country markets.
with happy results to- jobbers and manufac-
turers in st. Paul. Jobbers of rubber goods
have been industriously completing delayed
orders received prior to the per cent ad-
vance due on Nov. 1.
One house reports trade for the week about
% per cent ahead of a year ago, which Is
accounted for by the fact that they have
started several new bills in the country.
Collections have been reasonably fair, soms
delays being attributable to roads being bad.
Factories are working in full force some
running eleven hours a day instead of ten.
Travelling men are sending in a large num-
Der of spring orders.
HATS, FURS, GLOVES, ETC.
The trade in hats, caps, gloves, mittens and
fur goods, has been much better this year
than last, and has been quite active lately
People are now buying a better class of
goods than they have been buying for sew
eral years past. Collections in October of
this year were not so good in October OF
1857, and travellers anticipate they will be
rather slow during the next few months, par
ticularly so IN Northern Minnesota and the
northern part of North Dakota. During the
week trade as a whole has been somewhat
in excess OF that of the corresponding week
last year, considering the mild weather
and the unfavorable conditions in the Red
River valley, where a large st. Paul trade
exists, the falling off is very slight. With
seasOnable weather, conditions are favorable
for a heavy trade from now until the end of
the season.
DRUGS, PAINTS, OILS, ETC.
The condition Of trade in drugs and medI-
cines. paints and oil and glass Is encoura-
ging. Sales are excellent and territory is en-
larging. St. Paul never before did so much
business now or did business as satsfac-
torily. The trade of the near Southwest
seems to be seeking ST.. Paul, and our job
bers will welcome it most heartily. 1t is par
ticularly gratifying to note increase in sales
Of building material, paints, oils and glass, as
it indicates good feeling in the country and
general spirit of confidence and improvement
in the general drug market. Prices still
favor buyers, but signs of advance are not
lacking. Collections have lately fallen a lit
tie behind but still good better than
usual>at this season. There has been no over
buying for several years past, and country
stocks are not large. Ii seems therefore Ger
tain that trade will be unusually we'll sus-
tanned during this winter, and 1899 promises
we'll