The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-29
THIS is caLIFoRNIA'S YEAR,

THESE are tranquil times in trade There is no
excitement anywhere. All lines OF business seem
to be in good shape and as there is no undue
speculation the commercial current is about smooth
as il ever gets From the East come the regular and
now stereotyped reports OF larger bank clearngs,
smaller failures, booming iron market, increased
activity in wool and on These weekly reports OF
continued prosperity are becoming monotonous, and
trade reports OF late simply Tepetitions in phrase
ology changed to give them air OF newness.
The extraordinary activity in iron and steel has be
come so old, that the subject is threadbare and re
peaed advances in quotations excite little comment.
The furry in wool is OF recent date and is therefore,
more interesting The sales the three chief markets
for three weeks foot up nearly 100000 pounds and
are mainly due to spectators, the manufacturers
doing very little buying, They will probably have
to come to it. however as the spectators getting
the market into their own hands and determined
that il the manufacturers buy they will have pay
them their profit The cotton mills doing good
business even the higher quotations and put
ting out large quantities OF goods Lumber continues
firm and active, building operations continue lively
Boots and shoes hold the recent advances without
difficulty and hides and leather are firm in sympathy.
But the situation has its drawbacks. The wholesale
distribution is slack at the moment chiefly on account
OF the cold and backward spring which checks retail
trade. Then the winter wheat crop has been falling
off seriously OF late, and conservative parties
the trade admit that the yield will fall 100000
bushels under the estimates OF a month ago The Feb
ruary freeze began the work, which has been CON
tinued by the Hessian iy and cold and unfavorabe
weather Extremists predict complete failure OF the
winter sown grain. The export trade, too, has lately
shown decided decrease, both in food supplies and
manufactured goods In spite OF these drawbacks,
however, the bank cearngs OF the country last week
and all OF the important cities showed gain
The failures were I42 against 245 last year
1t is gratifying to note that California is making as
good showing as any other State as the grain crop
is in fine condition a rule and the fruit interests
in high feather. Reverse conditions prevail in
Oregon and Washington, where the climatic condi-
tons are the same in the East, with the
suits. The Government section directors for both
States report a very cold and backward season, with
a poor outlook for grain and serious deficiency in
almost all fruits This is evidently CALIFORNIA; year
When single of cherries and aprcots sold in
New York nets the California orchardiss $4,000 times
may be said to be good among the fruit growers, and
this is the record OF single car last week Advices
from New York report the demand for California
canned fruits as immense, with smaller supplies than
for ten years and some California Gamers have al
ready sold all the fruit they possibly pack and
this before the fruit is anywhere near ripe OF course
there IS general skurrying about the State for sup
plies and the high prices for fruit quoted in this
column last week still rule with signs OF decline
Enthusiasts predict that California fruit will sell high
for the next five years owing to the widespread de
struction- of trees throughout the East by the Feb
ruary freeze, but this is pretty sweeping prediction
Other local staples equally prosperous Wool
has been remarkably active of late hides and leather
have been in steady demand at firm prices provisions
show decrease in activity cattle sheep and hogs
continue to bring stiff quotations. and so on down the
commercial list Unless all signs fail, good MANY
farm mortgages will be paid off in California this wear