The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-19

year. Usually at this time of year
there is general reaction of business.
which makes January one of the quiet
est months of the year. The whole
sale men, without exception, report a
general stimulus of business, which is
caused, they think, by the general
feeling of restoration Of confidence and
the more prosperous condition Of the
country merchant, occasioned by the
large crops and the prevailing good
prices which the farmer has been
blessed with this year. Many of them
think there is still a large amount of
grain still unmarketed in the hands of
the farmer and that the spring trade
Will be greatly stimulated by the sale
Of this balance. They say spring or
ders are coming in and are for a bet
ter grade of goods, and, generally
speaking, the country merchant is ow-
ing less than a year ago.
ell
G. Straus, of Robinson, Straus & Co.
millinery, report that they had receiv-
ed to date an unusually large number
OF spring orders. In their line the mild
weather had rather helped business,
and they are looking; forward to a very
good year. They have recently moved
into their new building at 213 to PIG
East Fourth street, and all depart
ments are in working order. They now
nave as complete millinery establish
ment as is to be found in the North
west. They occupy five floors and q
basement, Of 60 by 125 feet, a separate
department being situated on each
floor Mr.. Straus said yesterday to a
o reporter that he did not think
the people of st. Paul knew they manu-
factured hats in their factory and car
ried one of the largest stocks in the
country. Their new trimming room
on the top floor will be opened very
shortly and will give employment to
125 girls
President Hackett of the C. w.
Hackett Hardware company. said:
Our business for 1897 showed a. great
increase over the preceding year. We
nave received a number of spring or
ders, but in our business the local deal
ers buy as they need the goods. We
nave, however, done a very large
business during the past two weeks
and think the country dealer is antici-
pating large business and is buying
largely despite the unreasonable
weather The farmer Ia the Dakotas
Is largely dependent upon the wheat
crop, but in other,lecalities dairying
and diversified branches of farming
have entered In, and in those sections
the wheat crop does. not materially eff
feet the country. The prices upon all
products were firm last year, the coun-
try merchant has money with which
to meet his obligations. At the close of
the year we had smaller number Of
delinquent accounts than in previous
years, and our losses. from bad accounts
have been less. Collections have been
very satisfactory i y
Our business so FAR this month has
been nearly double that of last year
We are looking for a fairly prosperous
year, and think there will be a steady
Improvement in trade throughout the
year. All the present Indications seem
to point to this. Our collections have
been good. especially so during the last
half OF 1897
Scheffer g. Rossum reported an in
crease of 40 per cent in the business
for the first part of January, as COM
pared with last year. Mr.. R0sSum said:
During the year 1891. when there was
an espec ally large crop, the merchants
did rot get the benefit of the harvest
ing of this crop until 1892, but this year.