Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-03
CONDITION OF OMAHA'S TRADE
IObbeu Very Busy These Days Filling
Orders for Merchandise,
BUSINESS IN RETAIL WAY IMPROVING
Rapid Advance in VnIues Makes n
Good Profit for Jobbcrs, with
Large stocks on Hnnd-Tnlk
About Live stock Prices.

HpVuN Live DAoNN EitNEs
The beginning OF the fall season finds
the retail trade of Omaha greatly improved
over what II was two or three weeks ago.
PEOPLE who have been spending the sum
mer among the mountains, at the lakes or
eeashore. are focking back 10 the city and
resuming thteir accustomed places. The
same trains that bring back Omaha's wan
derinR citizens are also bringing In a good
many exposition visitors and the city is
visibly filling up. A much larger population
Is to be noticed about the hotels and board
ing houses than was the case two weeks
ago. This being SO, 1t is hardly necessary
60 report Improvement in retail trade, as
more people always means more business.
About the busiest men in the west are
the tobbers, who have more than enough
20 do, August business with jobbers almost
invariably shows a handsome gain over the
same month last year and yer, as a rule,
1t Is stated that trade cannot be regarded
as earlier than usual. The increased busi-
ness can. therefore, be safely regarded as
natural and not the result of the antici-
patton of their wants on the part of re-
callers in tributary territory. The facts are
that retail merchants, especially of Ne
braska, have grown very cautious in recent
recklessly or any farther in advance than
the requirements of the trade demand, so
that the very excellent trade doing may be
regarded as of an entirely healthy character.
In New York City they are predicting, by
reason of The scarcity of many lines of mer-
nhandlse and the, very encouraging pros,
meets. that fall Buying will be prolonged
this season to a late date, and they are
looking to that az a feature of strength in
the market.
A Feature of the JobbinH Trade.
One of the characteristic features of the
1obbing trade has been the rapid advance
In values. to which. attention has been
called frequently. While such advances are
seldom looked upon by consumers with
favor. they mean a great deal to the job
remarked this week that his firm made
more money last month in the advance In
the value OF It's stock of merchandise than
during the twelve months of some less ia
vorable years. The policy of the firm in
question, has been to buy heavily in ad-
vance of actual requirements, and this has
been the policy of a great many houses.
For some time back merchants have been
asking themselves when the upward ten
dencv in values was to come to an end,
for an end must be reached sooner or later.
There must come a time when either con-
sumption will decrease sufficiently TO allow
an accumulation in the hands of, manu-
facturers sufficient to at least bring al
Co a point where importations of meTchan-
disc on a large scale will be possible. IN
and steel trade With that Of twenty years
ago. the Iron Age mentions that at that
time prices were such that immense guam
titles of foreign material were imported TO
meet a demand which was largely specula-
tive. even when It appeared to be tor con
sumption. Now the prices at nome are so
eight months, that there is a wide margin
between domestic prices a hnd1, the prices rd ! Taj Is
could be- laid down here duty paid. on
nome of the higher forms of manufacture1
Iron and steel the margin is not Wide' our
prices cannot be forced up much more
without making importation possible, Al
ready q few lots have been imported pc
cause of special needs here which made
delav impossible. But while the d9Lne aJg
prices mieht easily reach each, tine and f = con-
tinuation of recent advances would even
carry them before very long to the ioretSn
S prt It pi ia s fsoiff trS Sa tRh 1st P the foreign Els fur.
naces and mills are extremely busy; many
oheaS. some of them till well into next
wear. so that there Is little foreign ihhterrttaaa
that could be brought IN even IN n ~ This
characterization win not discourage further
advances here. though any further aayahhGie
must be made with some resaru - p
AGRICULTURAL implement people. are con- ome
stderably Interested IN the repUas ged in the
of the largest corporations engage1 ~ after
manufacture of harvester machinei Sornora.
an existence, Of five years ,8 as a a rter and
retmrn to the co-partnership system. IN
reasons given for the change are the sI nuh
ing hostility on the part Oh inc puSNe 49,
Lie to corporations.
Cattle supply and Values.
rastern PAPERS have a good deal to say
regarding the beef question:, oWinS - uSht
recent advance in the price ot m II iase sigh
Of the fact that live cattle are, and hav'
Ssen for some time back, selling at very
NIGH prices. During last week az SOU
Omaha cornfed beef steers s9iu N1 9
largely at S6.5O96.W per hundred po e foi
live weight. Moreover. these prices aie toi y,
cattle weighed Immediately after penig tS,
and watered, which adds materially 10 w
weight. Even at these prices the ema II,
81 good. packers taking everything 49, 49, "
had. Prices on grass cattle are o. =
epondingly high and whenever uhe paI N r
make any attempt to force down the mar
VET che farmers Immediately step IN an
huy them and take them back INTO IN
country to be placed on corn reed; Hu Il
dreds Of car loads are taken back INTO vi
country every week, SO that Win the Coin
Detition between farmers and packers tner
does not appear to be any immediate ptos
necf of cheaper beef. At. the same IN
the total supply of cattle is constant
growing smaller. Twenty years ago IN
n,mber OF cattle in the country, other Una
miich cows, was reported. by the AgrlCul
tural department to be q, 4OS, 100. Inc mum ~
Der increased pretty constantly III
reached 81. 651. 2S9 in 1897. For seven q
II has been constantly decreasing, ia q
the beginning of this year II was ON .
n. se4. 225. A loss of nearly loVVS'ooo nea y
beef cattle IN seven years, with a grow,
nonulation and a large foreign demand. !
remarkable. With this marked decrease !
the number OF cattle there has peen som
inoreass in the export trade. Inc eApSUSTor,
Of beef products in two years, lsSZ anu io@
aggregated $50. 047, 32 pounds, ana III me ia
two years sl5. 553, 63l. The NUMBER OF 90 ~ :,
cows underwent little change from 1881 !
,eas and uhila II has fallen OIL some siHC