Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-17
CONDITION OF OMAHA'S TRADE
Jobbss Very Busy Getting Out Holiday
N Orders on Time.
EVERYTHING IS MOVING SATISFACTORILY
Merchants I'm All Lines Anticipating
Big Demand for All Kinds Of
Holiday Merchandise
This week.


This week.
Local merchants are now In the midst OF
their holiday trade. Jobbers that handle
christmas goods find they have about all
they can do TO keep up with their orders
and say that judging from present indica.
lions they are going to have the best run
OF trade this year for some time past Peo-
pie seem to have money to spend this
year and are buying a good class OF goods.
Ihe colder weather Is having a good effect
upon trade In general and jobbers are re-
ceiving better reports from the country.
The wholesale markets are in much the
same condition they were in week ago,
only a very few changes having taken
place. The local retail situation was per-
hape never in better condition than at the
present time. The leading stores during
the last week have been crowded to over
Christmas goods, but all kinds of cold
weather goods as well. Retailers say they
never saw such q rush for holiday goods so
long before Christmas and for that reason
are looking for an enormous trade during
this week
Predicting Higher Prices.
Wholesale grocers report trade conditions
as remaining about the same, with the ex-
ception that the demand for nuts, candles
ana such lines Is much heavier. The mar
kets, as Is usually the case at this time of
year are quite StatlOnufY,. but at the same
time there is firm feeling on practically
all lines. Oatmeal is the one exception, the
price having weakened % cents per barrel
Other kinds of farinaceous goods remain
in Just about the same position. No change
is reported in the sugar market, though
the tendency is for frmer prices. Coffee
is also tending upward and higher prices
are being freely predicted Jobbers say
that the price of coffee has been entirely
too low during the, last few. years and the
present big demand is causing the. market
to advance to the place 1t should be in in
order to give the growers a margin. The
rapid advances In the cotton market have
caused the price of cotton lines, bags and
twine to advance. The canned goods situa-
ton, Is no different from what 1t was
week ago. The market, however, Is in
very strong position and higher prices may
be expected to go into effect after the first
OF the year.
Country Buying Hardware.
Hardware men say they are enjoying
nice run of trade for this time of year and
consequently have no criticism to offer. Re
ports from the country indicate that re-
talers are doing nice business and the
fact that they are paying up promptly
would go to confirm the reports There is
nothing new to be said about the condition
of the market, as prices on staples remain
unchanged.
The cold weather of the last week has
been of considerable help to local dry
goods men and If it continues will give
them a good lively trade. As it is they are
kept busy and say that stocks in the coun-
try are being rapidly depleted. travelling
and speak in favorable terms of the pros
poets for spring and summer trade. There
is nothing new to be said regarding market
conditions, as there have been no important
changes. Lines of minor Importance are
constantly trming up and about the same
may be said of the staples, but no ad-
vances have been heard of.
Colder Weather Helps Out.
Leather goods men are also being ben
efitted by tho cold weather. Orders for
immediate shipment are beginning to come
In freely and now that stocks in the coun-
try are getting more or less broken up
jobbers figure they should have good
run of trade from now on. Spring orders
are also coming in in good shape, and one
jobber said that he never had a better lot
of advance orders this early in the season
than he has at the present time.
than they have been for the last few
weeks. The increase in orders is largely
due to the recent snow storms In some
parts of the west, but more especially in
Iowa. Arctics, felt boots and leggings are
the most popular at present and are NOV
ing out rapidly. Jobbers figuring on
doing quite heavy business after the first
of the year, stocks by that time will
doubtless be broken up. In ordinary, years
of the year, but the unusually dry weather
this season has enabled them to get
through without placing very heavy du-
The hide market is hardly as firm as it |
was week ago and dealers seem to be of
the opinion that 1t will go lower rather
Increased receipts to marked degree, but |
a still greater increase is looked for.
Fruit and Produce.
Fruit and produce men had a fairly good |
were not rushed. The tendency on the part |
OF the grocers seemed to be to buy only |
what they needed for their immediate use, |
with the intention of buying their Christ |
mas supplies this week. For that reason |
dealers are preparing for big demand for |
such lines as are popular during the holi-
NhpiC CfTAr orr n
and judging from present indications 1t will |
take from FIVE to six cars of trees TO sup
ply this market and on the average there |
are about 1000 trees in car.
There is not much change in the vegetable
line. Potatoes are coming in slowly and
prices are firming up, and some dealers are
looking for considerably higher prices.
few Florida tomatoes were received last
week in six-basket crates and they sold
but will doubtless be some higher. New
York apples are in good condition and are
also in big demand at present and a. &c Cali IL
fornia navels are selling at s3.75SI4.0O;
Malaga grapes are also In big demand and
are quoted by the barrel at SUDWh5O
The egg market is quoted at IL cents for
strictly fresh stock. Receipts are not ex-
sessive, but at the same time there seems
Poultry Is firm at the quotations given
below. Commission men, however, are ad-
,hickens back until after New Years, as
hey do not expect very heavy Christmas
demand and they fear prices , VII be lower lower
md ducks they say should bring good
1rices and are advising liberal shipments.
The butter market is very firm, as re-
,epts are light and the demand good.
rhere is no change in oysters, although the
lemand is unusually heavy. Dealers say
heir sales at Thanksgiving time were a
bird larger than they were year ago ana
ire figuring that the Christmas demand Will
make as good showing.
NEW YORK GENERAL MARKET.
for the Day ON Various