The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-19
A BIG WHOLESALE WEEK
THE LAST ONE WAS THE BEST IN A
NUMBER OF YEARS.
Improvement Extends to All Lines
Unusual Demand for Cans.

The wholesale merchants on Saturday
were in cheerful mood 1t was the close of
week in which business was the largest
in any week for years. But the improve
ment in business has not been confined to
last week 1t commenced early in July and
has steadily improved. With the wholesale
grocers, however, and the iron and hard
ware merchants for several months past
trade has been highly satisfactory, the
grocers, according to the statement of one
of the older merchants, having, the first
eight months of the year, done from % to
30 per cent. more business than in the CORE
spending period last year. The iron and
hardware merchants have enjoyed nearly
double the amount of business in the last
f1Ve months, as compared with the CORE
spending months of 1897. Trade with the
wholesale dry goods houses begun to i'm
prove in July. Further improvement was
noticeable in August, and this month the
business bids fair to exceed any September
in the history of the two leading dry goods
establishments. The druggists have had for
several weeks an excellent trade, and espe-
cially this month has it reached a volume
that pleases merchants in this line of BUSH
ness. The leather dealers have had a very
prices began to advance, having large
stocks, they prof1ted handsomely by the adj
vances from time to time. The boot and
shoe merchants the first half of the year
hardly held their own with 1897, but the last
two months they have enjoyed an excellent
trade.
The wholesale confectioners, although
handling articles largely in the way of
Inv bax fcr
perienced very satisfactory business. fully
Is per cent. in excess of that of the corre-
spending period in 1897. The wholesale mil
liners the entire year have had an I'M
precedentedly good trade. Their spring and
early summer trade was far in advance of
that of last year, while in the last thirty
days their trade has been very large.
With the saddlery and harness men trade
through the summer was rather quiet, but
business in the last three weeks has i'm
proved perceptibly. and this being the sea-
son of the year to look for an improvement,
the merchants in that line expect very
satisfactory business for some time to come.
Dealers in timers supplies have had large
trade of late. The bountiful fruit crop Gre
ated an unusual demand for cans, and in
this line there has been rush of business.
"
have been very busy for six weeks past,
and although last fall they did an immense
business, the sales of this year will show
large increase over 1897 The furniture
houses are greatly surprised over the
marked increase in business with them,
their sales largely exceeding those of Au-
gust and September of last year. On Com
mission row the conditions have not been so
satisfactory. On account of the abundant
crops the market for weeks was glutted
with melons, peaches, plums, pears, and, in
fact, all kinds of fruit, and to sell even
choice fruits low prices only could be OBJ
tanned. In no former year has so much
fruit rotted and been thrown away as this
season, consequently the commission mer-
chants have made little money. However,
in the last ten days prices of fruits have
much improved. Irish potatoes are becom-
ing scarce and prices are advancing Apples
are to bring high prices this winter. One
favorable feature of the situation is the
promptness with which bills are paid, and
it is stated that fewer bad accounts are held
by commission men this year than in any
year since 1892. ~Fl ~ ~eA